The American West Topic Summaries

The Pacific Railroad Act (1862)

GCSE > History > AQA > GCSE History: The American West (1835-1895) > Civil War (1861–1865) > The Pacific Railroad Act (1862)
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Key terms
  • This Act enabled the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, connecting the east and west of America.
  • The Pacific Railroad Act enabled companies such as the Union Pacific and Central Pacific to build the transcontinental railroad.
  • The government provided loans ($16,000 per mile, $48,000 in the mountains) and areas of land along the railroad to companies to sell to settlers.
  • The railroad brought settlers, cut travel time, and allowed farmers and ranchers to sell goods more easily.
  • It also led to the destruction of buffalo and Indian land. Native Americans lost the right to roam near the railroad.
  • Problems with building the Transcontinental Railroad: 
    • Southern states opposed the chosen route (Omaha to Sacramento) as it favoured the North.
    • In 1861, the South left the Union for a short time, allowing the federal government to proceed without their approval.
    • Native American attacks posed a constant threat during construction. ◦ Building through mountainous terrain was costly and labourintensive.
Advantages of the Transcontinental Railroad Disadvantages of the Transcontinental Railroad
  • Bureaus of Immigration promoted migration by encouraging Europeans to settle in the American West.
  • Railroad companies marketed and sold land along rail routes, boosting settlement.
  • Farmers and merchants gained access to wider markets to sell their goods.
  • Texas cattlemen could transport cattle efficiently and sell them at a profit.
  • Railroads occupied vast grasslands, disrupting ecosystems.
  • Decline in buffalo populations due to rail expansion and increased hunting.
  • Expansion led to greater conflict with Native American tribes and loss of their land.

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