Age of Railroads (WA State History)

Which is NOT an example of a corporation?

• Northern Pacific Railroad

• Amazon

• Microsoft

• Enumclaw School District

Answer explanation

Northern Pacific Railroad, Amazon, and Microsoft are all corporations, as they are business entities that operate for profit and are owned by a group of people who own stock in the company. Enumclaw School District is a public entity, not a corporation.

Who was president of the Great Northern Railroad

• John Jacob Jingleheimerschmitt

• Henry S. Villard

• James J. Hill

• Frederick Weyerhaeuser

Answer explanation

• Westward running from Minnesota to Seattle,

• Hill financed his Great Northern RR by selling land to homesteaders and real estate developers.

• He charged less than other RR competitors for shipping on the railroad.

• The RR helped Washington to grow its population.

What was the "terminus" for the Northern Pacific Railroad?

• Portland

• Seattle

• Tacoma

• Wenatchee

Answer explanation

A terminus is the end of the railroad route.

This image shows the temporary terminus in Tacoma.

In 1853 the Railroad Survey Bill authorized the exploration of a potential route for ...

• a Northwest Passage

• a railroad to Mexico

• a railroad to Canada (controlled by Great Britain)

• a transcontinental railroad

Answer explanation

A "transcontinental railroad" is a continuous railroad trackage that crosses a continental landmass, connecting locations on different oceans or continental borders.

In the United States, it specifically refers to a rail line connecting the Pacific coast with the eastern trunk line rail systems. 

Construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad was made possible through a federal land grant subsidy.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

• A subsidy is a sum of money or land the government grants (gives) to help an industry.

• Many railroads relied on the subsidy of land grants.

• Railroad companies kept some land for tracks

  and sold the rest to settlers to get money for the building of the railroad.

Which is NOT an example of corruption?

• politicians taking bribes to support laws favorable to the railroads

• offering stock that is less than the price paid for it

• railway owners lying to get larger loans

• politicians being honest and doing their duties to benefit the public

Answer explanation

Corruption is dishonest practices in business or politics.

A share in a company is called a ...

• lock

• stock

• barrel

• capital

Answer explanation

A stock is a share or part ownership in a business or company.

Some transcontinental rail lines were unable to pay their debts. They went ....

• bankrupt

• solvent

• bartered

• infringed

Answer explanation

Bankrupt mean being unable to pay debts or not having financial resources.

Industries like timber, coal, and agriculture benefitted from the railroads as a ...

• regional network

• roundhouse network

• distribution network

• media network

Answer explanation

A distribution network is a system for the marketing, transporting, and selling of any good or service. Railroads served as a distribution network to supply goods to stores and businesses in many places.

The Great Northern Railroad did NOT go bankrupt like other railroads; it remained SOLVENT. What does "solvent" mean?

• Able to solve its own problems

• Able to pay its debts

• Able to dissolve paint

• Able to subsidize itself

Answer explanation

James J. Hill charged less for a ticket, less for shipping freight, and encouraged farmers to find new farming methods. This allowed his railroad to continue to make money and pay its debts.