CA Railroads & Economy

CA Railroads & Economy

Obj: We will learn how the railroads transformed California and contributed to its economy

Vocabulary

• communication: the way that people send and receive information

• technology: the use of scientific knowledge to solve problems

• telegraph: a machine that sends signals along wires using electricity

• engineer: a person who designs structures such as roads, bridges, and machines

• investor: a person who gives money to a company with the hope of making money later

Multiple Choice

The word telegraph contains the Greek root graph, what does graph mean?

• line

• write

• two

• throw

Early California Communication

When California became a state, not many settlers loved between here and the Mississippi River. The distance led to problems with traveling to California and communication with California. In the 1850s & 1860s communication started to get better with the use of more technology.

Communication with California

• 1st overland mail service established in 1858 called the Butterfield Overland Stage Company

• Carried mail, passenger, by horses and took 24 days to travel 2,800 miles

• 2nd mail service established in 1860 called the Pony Express

• Riders worked together to cary mail from Missouri to California in 9-10 days

Multiple Choice

In early California, which mail service was more efficient to use?

• United States Postal Service

• Pony Express

• Butterfield Overland Stage Company

Better Communication in California

Thought the Pony Express was a faster way to communicate, the creation of the telegraph replaced this form of communication after 18 months. Created by Samuel Morse, the telegraph became the first transcontinental communication. This meant the telegraph reached the United Stated from end to end, carrying messages using Morse Code from San Francisco to to New York.

Multiple Choice

What invention ended the use of the Pony Express?

• Trains

• Cars

• Telegraph

• Telephone

Transcontiential Railroad

• Theodore Judah: Engineer who dreamed of creating a transcontinental railroad to travel across the U.S.

• Judah needed help to make his dream come true

• Big Four (investors): Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Collis Huntingtion, and Mark Hopkins; created the Central Pacific Railroad Company

• Railroad started on January 8, 1863

• In 1865, Union Pacific Railroad Company began laying track westward from Omaha, Nebraska

Railroad Workers

Building the transcontinental railroad took a lot of work. The Central Pacific Railroad Company didn't have enough workers so they hired immigrants from China. About 10,000 Chinese workers came to the US to build the railroad. They built tracks through the Sierra Nevada by digging and using explosives to get through the mountainside. Many worked long and hard hours, some workers even died. The Union Pacific used Irish immigrants to lay tracks across the Great Plains.

Transcontinental Railroad Completion

On May 10, 1869 the two tracks met in Promontory, Utah. The last piece was connected with a golden spike. Unfortunately Judah died in 1863 and did not live to see his dream come true.

Multiple Select

Why was working on the Transcontinental Railroad so dangerous?

Pick TWO:

• Workers had to fight other settlers to set tracks on land

• Workers had to work long hours

• Workers had to be careful with wild animals

• Workers used explosives to break through mountains

Vocabulary

• import: to bring something in from another country or area to sell

• product: something that is made, grown, or taken form nature and sold

• merchant: a person who buys or sells goods

• diversity: many different types of people or things

• discrimination: treating someone differently from someone else in an unfair way

• export: to send something to another country or area to be sold

Multiple Choice

The word import contains the root port, what does port mean?

• throw

• secret

• carry

• air

California's Changing Economy

Before the Gold Rush there weren't many businesses in California, but once the Gold Rush began California quickly grew. People imported goods, such as products that miners needed to mine for gold and live. Miners bought items such as tents, tools, and sturdy clothes from merchants, or people who buy and sell goods. People opened hotels, laundries, restaurants and banks.

Multiple Select

What products did miners buy from merchants?

Choose ALL that apply

• horses

• tents

• sturdy clothes

• tools

• gold

Multiple Choice

How did the Gold Rush change California's economy?

• It made people leave and take their money with them

• It made people come but they brought all the tools they needed with them

• It made people come and bring business with them

Growth of Towns and Cities

Many towns across California also grew in population.

San Francisco grew from 800 to 25,000 from 1848-1849.

Sacramento became a trade center and a transportation center. Its population grew from 16,000 to 29,000 from 1870-1900.

Los Angles also grew but not as quickly. In 1850 only 1,600 people lived there, because there was no transportation. After train services began in 1880, Los Angles grew to 100,000 by 1900.

Different Groups in CA

Another change in California's population was the diversity, or the many different types of people/things.

People came from:

Mexico, China, Ireland, Germany, Italy, & Russia

Unfortunately they worked for little pay and were treated badly. Most discrimination was aimed at Chinese and Mexican immigrants.

Japanese immigrants also came to California. They were really good farmers, but other farmers were jealous and thought they took away their businesses. In 1913, a law was passed that made it impossible for Japanese immigrants to buy land to farm on.

Multiple Select

Why was life hard for groups of people who came to California from other countries?

• low pay

• discrimination

• no jobs

• expensive homes

Farming Boom

Farming also saw a huge growth during this time period. As the population grew so did the demand for food. Once the Gold Rush ended many miners became farmers, by 1860 the number of farms increased to 19,000.

California is great for farming because of its great soil and climate. In the 1860's wheat was the top farm product, until the 1890's when citrus like lemons and oranges took the top spot.

California's Top Commodities in 1900:

Apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, pears, and plums

Multiple Select

Why is California good for farming?

• There is a lot of miners who really wanted to be farmers

• There is good soil

• It rains a lot

• The climate is warm and sunny