Web Quest: The Transcontinental Railroad
Name:
Date:
Directions: With a Partner answer the following questions using the websites and documents provided.
1.
Under the Pacific Railroad Act what would the Railroad be used for?
2.
What were the names of the railway companies who built the railroad?
3.
How many years did it take the two companies to build the railroad?
4.
Who were the owners of the two competing railway companies?
5.
What were some of the dangers and difficulties faced by the railroad workers from each company?
6.
Where were some of the railroad workers from?
7.
What did the Native Americans call the railroad?
8.
What was the 10 mile day?
9.
What did the “golden spike” have engraved on it?
10. What were the names of the four spikes used at the ceremony of the joining of the rails?
11. List and describe three impacts of the railroad.
Websites for research:
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/ten_mile_day.php
http://www.history.com/topics/transcontinental-railroad
En Espanol
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primer_ferrocarril_transcontinental_de_Estados_Unidos
http://www.encontrandodulcinea.com/articulos/2010/Mayo/Hoy-en-la-Historia--Ferrocarril-transcontinentalcompletado.html
Other Resources:
The Road to be apportioned into four divisions, of about 500 miles each, and a Resident Engineer, to be invested with the
charge of the surveys on each division, to be given the control and direction of the following party, and made responsible
for the faithful performance of their duties:
Transit party for running Lines - Salary per mo.
1
Principal Assistant
$250
1
Transit man
$150
Rail Layers
As many
White $35/month
???
As possible
Chinese $30/month
20
Axemen, each $40
$800
2
Flagmen, each $35 $70
1
Stakeman
$35
Party for taking Trigonometrical Observations of points along the line
tracing up streams, rivers, &c.
1 transit man
$100
2 Tape men, each $40 $80
For sketching Topography.
1 Topographer $100
1 Draftsman
$100
For running Levels.
1 Leveller
$100
2 Rodmen, each $50 $100
1 Axeman
$35
For running test Levels.
1 Leveller $80
1 Rodman $45
1 Axeman $35
Miscellaneous.
2
Hunters, each $40
$80
2
Teamsters, each $50
$100
2
Wagons and Horses
–
1
Steward or Commissary $75
10 Cooks $50 each
$500
We will assume that the average cost of provisioning these men will be $1.50 per day or $1,350 per month, and we have a
total of $3,150 per month. We have, then–
1
Chief Engineer, 1 year, at $10,000
$10,000
1
Asst. Engineer, at St. Louis, at $3,000
$3,000
1
Asst. Engineer, at San Francisco, at $5,000 $5,000
1
Draughtsman at each place, at $2,400
1
Asst. Draughtsman at each place at $1,500 $3,000
4
parties' salaries, at $20,000 per year
$80,000
4
parties' subsistence, at $16,250
$65,000
Instruments
Stationery and office expenses
$5,000
$3,000
$4,800
20 Horses, at $100
$2,000
8
wagons, at $200
$1,600
Tents, camp equipage, &c.
Travelling expenses, incidental, &c.
$5,000
$13,000