The Development of the West

The video discusses the westward expansion of pioneers in the United States, highlighting the challenges of early travel and the role of the Conestoga wagon. It covers the development of railroads and water travel in the early 1800s, focusing on ASA Whitney's efforts to finance a transcontinental railroad. The construction of the transcontinental railroad, completed in 1869, revolutionized travel and settlement in the West. The video also explores the settlement of the Great Plains, where farmers and ranchers adapted to the arid environment using irrigation techniques.

What impact did the transcontinental railroad have on the settlement of the West?

What agricultural techniques did farmers adopt to cope with the challenges of farming in the Great Plains?