Lecture Notes: The First Transcontinental Railroad

Introduction

• The First Transcontinental Railroad: Engineering marvel and controversial project of the 19th century.
• Opened new economies in the American West but consumed vast natural resources.
• The railroad symbolized the movement of civilization into the wilderness.
• Key figures: Collis P. Huntington, Jack Casement, Thomas C. Durant.

Manifest Destiny and National Ambitions

• The Transcontinental Railroad was a technological manifestation of manifest destiny.
• Represented the hopes and dreams of a nation for economic prosperity.
• Aimed to unify the country and establish America as a world leader.

Early Visions and Challenges

• Theodore Judah: Early advocate for the transcontinental railroad.
• Initial skepticism about the practicality of a coast-to-coast railroad.
• Western U.S. viewed as largely inhospitable and empty.

Construction Begins

• Collis P. Huntington and partners invested in Judah's vision despite skepticism.
• Central Pacific Railroad Company formed to build from Sacramento eastward.
• Union Pacific Railroad Company to build from the Missouri River westward.

Construction Challenges

• Labor shortages and harsh working conditions, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
• The use of Chinese laborers was initially resisted but proved successful.
• The Central Pacific faced difficult terrain requiring tunnels and bridges.

Political and Financial Manipulations

• Thomas Durant's manipulation of Union Pacific stocks and contracts for personal gain.
• The involvement of Congress and federal funding to support construction.

Cultural and Social Impacts

• Plains Indians were adversely affected by the railroad, leading to conflicts and displacement.
• The role of "Hell on Wheels" towns that followed the railroad's progress, often lawless.
• The railroad facilitated the migration of settlers westward, changing the American landscape.

Completion and Aftermath

• Significant milestones: Union Pacific and Central Pacific meeting point at Promontory Summit.
• The completion of the railroad marked a major achievement but required immediate repairs.
• The legacy included economic growth, national unity, and marked changes to the environment and indigenous cultures.

Conclusion

• The Transcontinental Railroad bound the nation together, symbolizing a new era of American expansion and industrialization.
• Its construction revealed both the potential for human ingenuity and the darker aspects of greed and exploitation.

Additional Resources

• Further exploration of the railroad's impact available on PBS and American Experience Online.