Railroad Boom Quiz

When did the railroad boom begin?

• 1862

• 1850

• 1875

• 1880

Which act was associated with the beginning of the railroad boom?

• Homestead Act

• Pacific Railway Act

• Interstate Commerce Act

• Sherman Antitrust Act

Which railroad line pushed westward from Omaha, Nebraska?

• Central Pacific

• Southern Pacific

• Union Pacific

• Northern Pacific

In what year did the Union Pacific push westward from Omaha?

• 1860

• 1865

• 1870

• 1875

Where did both railway lines meet in 1869?

• Sacramento, California

• Denver, Colorado

• Promontory Summit, Utah

• Cheyenne, Wyoming

What was done to make rail service safer and more reliable?

• Introduced new engines

• Divided the country into time zones

• Built more tracks

• Reduced train speeds

What did the U.S. government give to railroad companies that led to corruption?

• Tax breaks

• Land grants

• Subsidies

• Loans

What were many of the wealthy railroad owners called due to accusations of swindling?

• Industrialists

• Robber barons

• Philanthropists

• Entrepreneurs

Who did investors begin bribing to get more land grants?

• Railroad workers

• Government officials

• Bankers

• Journalists

Which scandal involved several members of Congress?

• Teapot Dome

• Watergate

• Credit Mobilier

• Iran-Contra