Chapter 14 Section 2 Critical Thinking

The federal government was so eager to promote the growth of railroads because it realized how important railroads were to the development and settling of the West (p. 442). They unified the country; by 1869, there was the first transcontinental railroad, and others followed soon afterwards, as well as more regional lines. The railroads' demand for supplies also helped the country. The industries for iron, coal, steel, lumber, and glass grew hugely. The spread of the roads caused towns to flourish, established new markets and "offered rich opportunities to both visionaries and profiteers" (p. 443). Trade and interdependence were all promoted by the railroad's joining cities and towns that had once been isolated, and small towns started to specialize in specific markets. New towns and communities grew along the railroad lines, and were prosperous due to them.