What happened to American railroads between 1870 and 1890?
Between 1870 and 1890, the amount of railroad track in the United States tripled, dramatically changing the U.S. Although trains traveled slowly by today’s standards, they sped along the tracks more quickly than anyone could have imagined a century before.
What is the major effect of the railroads that were built in the late 1800s?
The railroad opened the way for the settlement of the West, provided new economic opportunities, stimulated the development of town and communities, and generally tied the country together.
How did the growth of the railroad system during the 19th century affect the US economy?
The advent of a rail network expanded the available markets for goods. An item for sale in New York could now make it out west in a much shorter time, and the railroads allowed the movement of a wider variety of goods much farther distances.
When did the construction of the railroads begin?
Beginning in the early 1870s, railroad construction in the United States increased dramatically. Prior to 1871, approximately 45,000 miles of track had been laid. Between 1871 and 1900, another 170,000 miles were added to the nation’s growing railroad system. Much of the growth can be attributed to the building of the transcontinental railroads.
What was the growth rate of the railroads in the 1870s?
Railroads were growing so fast that nearly 6,000 miles were being laid down every year (17,000 miles between 1871 and 1873). With so much new construction, lending was strained and overextended.
Why did the railroads bring people to the west?
Railroads made it easier to get people and products into and out of the West—which made farming, business, and life in general easier there. 10. Do you think the West’s population grew because of the railroad or because the railroad followed population growth to places where people were already living?
Why was the railroad important to industrial development?
Railroads were the basis of the nation’s industrial economy in the late 1800s, creating new markets, carrying billions of tons of freight to every corner of the country, and opening up the West for development. Thanks in part to the railroad providing access to new land for farming, agricultural production doubled in the 1870s,…