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WorksheetsThe Transcontinental Railroad
Total questions: 21
Worksheet time: 12mins
In which city and state did the Central Pacific Railroad begin?
Sacramento, CA
Omaha, NE
San Francisco, CA
Boise, ID
In which city and state did the Union Pacific Railroad begin?
Boise, ID
Sacramento, CA
San Francisco, CA
Omaha, NE
In which city and state did the two railroads finally meet?
Promontory Point, UT
Primary Point, NV
Phoenix, AZ
Boise, ID
What explosive chemical was used to blast through the granite in the Sierra Nevada mountains?
nitroglycerin
gunpowder
dynamite
C4
What dangers did workers face laying track for the Central Pacific Railroad?
Snow and blizzards
Starvation
Avalanches
Indian attacks
Mishaps with nitroglycerin
What dangers did the workers face laying track for the Union Pacific Railroad?
Indian attacks
Gunfights in the Hell on Wheels towns
Snow
Avalanches
What was The Homestead Act and who signed it?
Gave 160 acres of land for free
You must improve the land in some way
You must live there 10 years
President Abraham Lincoln
After 5 years, it belonged to the homesteader
Who were the railroad builders for both Central and Union Pacific Railroad Companies?
Irish and Chinese immigrants
Native Americans
Mexicans
Freed slaves
Ex-soldiers
What was driven in to the railroad at the meeting point of the two railroads?
A golden spike
A silver spike
A sparkly spike
An iron spike
What was the record amount of track laid in one day?
10 miles
100 miles
1 mile
1000 miles
Who was the former war General who took charge of the Union Pacific Railroad?
Grenville Dodge
Charles Crocker
Philip Sheridan
Crazy Judah
A farmer who got 160 acres of land, cleared and farmed the land for 5 years was called a ?
homesteader
planter
countryman
rancher
What are some reasons people wanted to move west?
To find jobs and make money
To get away from the eastern city slums
To have their own land and live out in the open West
To own slaves
Which railroad company reached Promontory Point, UT first?
Central Pacific
Union Pacific
West Pacific
Yankee Pacific
What are some effects the railroad had on the Native Americans?
They lost their land
They lost millions of buffalo and bison
Some were captured or killed
They were treated with respect
One of the first big scandals happened when Dodge found out the Union Pacific RR was swindling large amounts of money from the gov't. Swindling money from the government still happens nowadays.
True
False
Who went on an unsuccessful strike when creating a tunnel through the Sierra Nevada mountains?
The Chinese immigrants
The freed slaves
The ex-Confederate soldiers
The Mexicans
The transcontinental railroad was completed before Lincoln was assassinated.
True
False
Why was the completion of a transcontinental railroad so important to America?
It helped people build cities and farms across the U.S.
It helped goods and supplies move faster, creating more wealth
It was safer and faster
It truly made us united for the very first time
It helped the Native Americans
What were the "Hell on Wheels?"
Portable tent cities that sprung up as the railroad progressed
Often a hotbed for gambling, drinking, and shooting
Churches where people learned about heaven and hell
A tv series similar to The Walking Dead
Where is this?
Promontory Point, UT
Omaha, NE
Sacramento, CA
Phoenix, AZ
