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Example research essay topic: Time Life Books Transcontinental Railroad - 1,244 words

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... e the charge ignited. In order to speed up the process of blasting through the mountains, a new type of explosive was adopted. It was called nitro-glycerin; this compound was extremely explosive and unstable to transport.

A Scottish chemist was hired to mix the formula near the workers. Although this would speed up the construction, it came at a heavy price. Workers were often killed by debris that would fly into the air when the explosives went off. The debris included trees, rocks, and dirt. About 1, 200 Chinese workers were killed during the railroad construction, mainly because of unstable explosives. While the laborers were in danger constantly on the job, the conditions that they lived in also proved hazardous.

When the railroad progressed so did the towns where the workers lived. These porta-towns were dubbed "Hell on Wheels" (Klein 76). "Those hardy enough to visit the place came away with the feeling they had glimpsed a suburb of hell" (Klein 77). They were basically boxcars that made up a small town, and the cars moved on the train tracks. Bad air circulation almost made them uninhabitable. If the Higgins 6 weather permitted, the laborers would sleep outside in makeshift tents. When winter approached, small houses were built along the track.

The boxcars were not suitable for the harsh winters. Once winter came and the snow covered these houses, chimneys had to be extended for warmth and ventilation. The connection of tunnels in the snow enabled them to work in the harshest conditions. During that winter the railroad companies learned how difficult it was to get supplies to people. In order to get supplies they had to build a gigantic snowplow that took twelve wood burning locomotives to push. After winter passed, covered areas of track were constructed where the snowdrifts existed.

When the railroad moved deeper into the West, more problems arose. Almost unbearable heat struck when the railroad crossed the Humbolt desert, and temperatures reached over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. "The dust was so bad that inhaling it drew blood from the lungs" (Klein 76). Water was used sparingly since it was more expensive than whiskey! In order to feed the workers in these barren lands buffalo and herds of cattle were slaughtered. Workers dealt with the constant threat of Indian attacks. Problems also occurred between the two railroad companies' laborers.

The Union Pacific workers, made up mainly by Irish, would throw frozen dirt clods at the Central Pacific laborers, who were mainly Chinese. The Irish later set explosives in Central Pacific's camp. In retaliation, the Chinese set off a blast that buried several Union Pacific workers. Finally on May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah a golden spike linked the Union and Central Pacific railroads.

It was considered a triumph for American society. The Union and Central Pacific railroad companies had completed the first Transcontinental Railroad; they needed to pay off the debt incurred to the national government and other Higgins 7 private investors. This massive structure took a significant amount of money and it needed to be paid back! The companies cashed in by advertising sightseeing excursions. One of the highlights of the trip was a buffalo hunt. During these hunts, buffalo would be shot at through open train windows.

If shot, the animal was left to die and to decay. They also made elaborate brochures that circulated in America and Europe. The brochures promoted the settling of the West along the railroad track by publicizing fertile soil. To increase land sales, the companies invited 200 newspapermen from all over Europe and America to come on one of their expeditions. They treated them as if they were royalty. The trip included buffalo hunts, stops at prarie dog towns, and performances.

After the expedition, 200 happy reporters applauded the Transcontinental Railroad with articles in their local newspapers. Once that the railroad was built, the land along side it became valuable. Along the railroad tracks, small towns were constructed and overrun with saloons, traders, squatters, and gamblers. It was important to maintain good relations with the Indians because reports of Indian attacks would lessen the value of land. Inevitably with all of these new settlers, tension rose between the Indians and the Americans. One newspaperman wrote, "Wild Indians held back our countries development" (Blumberg 91).

Another representation of what Americans felt towards Indians was expressed in Samuel Bowles writing, " We know they are not our equals: we know that it is our right to the soil, as a race capable of its superior improvement is above theirs" (Blumberg 91). The Native American tribes were often unfairly treated because treaties would be signed without even knowing what they said. The Indians trusted the American Higgins 8 officials. At Fort Laramie, Wyoming Native Americans discovered how corrupt American officials could be.

A group of chiefs signed a treaty that allowed the U. S. to build roads, and military outposts. The treaty also designated hunting grounds for each tribe. For compensation, each tribe would receive 50, 000 dollars a year for food and supplies. But dishonest federal officials pocketed the money.

The Indians had other reasons to dislike our nation. The trains ran through hunting grounds and scared away prey. Workers also killed buffalo, which was a sacred animal to the Indians. This was the main food source for the plains Indians.

Buffalo would cause damage to roadbeds and would uproot telegraph poles trying to scratch their winter fur off. Most importantly, buffalo hides were valuable so hides would be taken and the rest of the animal left to rot. "Threatened with starvation, relocation, incarceration, and extinction, Native Americans felt the need to fight back" (97 Blumberg). The Cheyenne Indians learned how to uproot train rails. Now the slaying of the iron horse began. Causing trains to crash was not only for destruction, but to get supplies such as clothing, food, and liquor. A result of the train attacks, Indians were forced to move to reservations.

In the end, the Transcontinental Railroad was one of the greatest accomplishments of America. When the last spike was laid, "factory whistles sounded, fireworks crackled, and crowds converged to party in the streets" (140 Blumberg). "The Union and Central Pacific had opened up a new West; their race became part of an American legend, and it set the stage for a new era" (141 Blumberg). This triumph for America proved that neither mountains, nor snow, nor deserts could hold back the country's development. At the time of construction, however, people failed to acknowledge the pain and suffering Higgins 9 the laborers endured, and that other nations, such as the Cheyenne Indians faced extinction over what the United States called a triumph Blumberg, Roda. Full Steam Ahead. Washington, D.

C: National Geographic Society, 1996. Chinese Exclusion. < web > Columbia University Press, 1993. Faragher, John. The American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History. New York: Henry Holt Company, Inc. , 1998. Geoffrey, Ward.

The West. Boston: The West Project, Inc. , 1996. Klein, Maury. Unfinished Business. United States of America: The University Press of New England, 1994.

McCready, Albert. Railroads In The Days of Steam. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1960. Wheeler, Keith. The Railroaders. New York: Time Life Books, 1973.

Williams, Harry. Life History of The United States. Vol. 5. New York: Time Life Books, 1963. Utley, Robert. Golden Spike: Chapter 1 Origin of the Pacific Railroad. < web > Handbook 40.

Bureau of Electronic Publishing, Inc. , 1994.


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Research essay sample on Time Life Books Transcontinental Railroad

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