This very complete lesson plan from the New York State Library uses newspaper accounts to give a "you are there" feeling to the discussion of the Railroad Strike of 1877. Included are a history of the strike, student activities,...

This chapter from "The First Transcontinental Railroad" by John Debo Galloway contains biographies of the important men who conceived of the railroad, found funds for the line, and engineered the construction.

Provides excerpts from "Fusang: The Chinese Who Built America: The Chinese Railroad Men" by Stan Steiner. Describes how the Chinese contributed to the construction of the transcontinental railroad.

Here is the explanation of how the land grants given to the railroads through the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 worked in the text from the General Land Office to the Department of the Interior.

Provides information and documents of Jefferson Davis, George McClellan and the War Department's Pacific Railroad explorations and surveys of 1853 to 1854.

From the September, 1869, magazine, "Overland Monthly", is this article by Robert L. Harris who traveled the route of the Central Pacific Railroad before it was officially opened, and wrote a description of the scenery along the route.

An article from the Utah Quarterly, Vol. 37, No. 1, by George Kraus, recounts the decision to use Chinese laborers in building the Central Pacific Railroad. Many primary source documents included as well as supplemental direct quotes in...

Read about George Westinghouse's invention, the train air brake, that revolutionized the safety of trains and train travel. Find out how the air brake worked and why it was such an important invention for the railroads.

An illustrated history of the famous flood that was written in 1889. Report starts from the breaking of the South Fork Dam and continues to relief efforts.

Objects can lead you to some interesting stories. Read and see where and how this toy-like locomotive was used. Cursor down to locate this information.

Railroads changed agriculture. As railways linked farms to a wider commercial world, city dwellers could buy fruits and vegetables year-round. Farms became commercialized, often specializing in single crops and tied to the ups and downs...

In this textbook unit, students learn the reasons why the Industrial Revolution took root in England first, and the innovations that made this possible. These included textile inventions such as the flying shuttle and the spinning jenny,...

The Glenbow Museum presents the stories of almost 40 different mavericks who shaped the history of Alberta. The website breaks down the province's history into the following nine areas: Uninvited Guests, Mounties, Railway, Ranching,...

From the very beginning and through the twentieth century, this comprehensive collection of lessons will enrich students studying the history in between and the effects on South Dakota.

Find a comprehensive history of the anti-slavery movement and how it fit into the larger reform movements of the first half of the 19th century.

Activities and resources, built around a reading of Jingle the Brass by Patricia Newman, for teaching young learners about the importance of railroads in American history.

In 1800, the United States was made up of 16 states, all east of the Appalachians, and most people lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic. Oceans and rivers were the nations' highways, providing the only viable way to travel long...

Discover how connecting Santa Cruz, California to the national railroad network in the late 1800s helped the town prosper and change.

An overview of the construction of America's Transcontinental Railway, and its completion when the last spike was driven (after several misses) in Utah to connect the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railways. Travel across the...

Third graders will use the computer to briefly research six communities in Utah and evaluate key factors that determine how a community develops and explain changes within communities caused by human inventions. They will be able to...

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the competition between Union Pacific and Central Pacific to complete the transcontinental railroad. Workmanship was often shoddy and...

The history behind the Labor Day holiday is far more complex and dramatic than most might realize, starting with a heated campaign by workers in the late 19th century to win support and recognition for their contributions. In July 1894,...

Second graders will view background information on the Underground Railroad in Ohio and will read and discuss primary source letters and sermons by Rev. John Rankin on slavery.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Abridged from the full text located at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, this passage provides information about the development of the transcontinental railroad. Paired texts, a text...