Primary
University of Florida

Baldwin Library: Willy's Travels on the Railroad

For Students 2nd - 4th
A scanned copy of the 1850 publication of Willy's Travels on the Railroad by Mrs. Marcet, a fiction book for children.
Website
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: Railroads and the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the history of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, how it affected the railroads, and the additions made to it over many years.
Lesson Plan
Louisiana Department of Education

Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: Social Studies: Grade 4: The Transcontinental Railroad

For Teachers 4th
This sample task contains a set of primary and authentic source documents about the Transcontinental Railroad and the migration of settlers to the West.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: How a Deadly Railroad Strike Led to the Labor Day Holiday

For Students 9th - 10th
When the federal government was called in to suppress a railroad workers' strike, dozens were killed and politicians sought a way to show they still supported workers. July 1894, President Grover Cleveland finally signed into law...
Article
CZBrats

The Panama Railroad

For Students 9th - 10th
This page is entitled "The Panama Railroad, Chapter XIV" of the book "History of the Panama Canal", by Ira E. Bennett, 1915. It recounts important events of this period (1827-1855) of Panamanian history.
Website
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

For Students 9th - 10th
An extraordinarily rich collection of photos, stereographs, engravings, maps, and documents. Many 19th century accounts of building and traveling on the railroad, plus travel guides and government documents.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: The Underground Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
The Underground Railroad of the 1800's inspired talented writers of all ages. This lesson will integrate some of these famous writings to encourage students to develop their questioning techniques for analysis of literature while...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Underground Railroad, Route to Freedom

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
This activity will require the teacher and student to travel throughout the school and its buildings as they travel the underground railroad. As they travel they will stop at safe houses, rest and eat before they proceed finally crossing...
Lesson Plan
Ohio State University

Osu History Teaching Institute: The Underground Railroad and the Fugitive Slave Act

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders will understand the Fugitive Slave Act and its significance, especially as it relates to the Underground Railroad.
Primary
Other

Images of the Civil War: Railroads

For Students 9th - 10th
This TreasureNet.com site has many pictures of railroads and locomotives and includes descriptions of the pictures.
Website
Curated OER

Bureau of Land Management: Steel Rails and Iron Horses

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the building of the first transcontinental railroad and other railroads that came after. Find out how the checkerboard land ownership system affected the railroads. Includes lots of detailed lesson activities as well as a poster.
Primary
University of Nebraska

U. Of Nebraska: Railroads and the Making of Modern America: 1877 Railroad Strike

For Students 9th - 10th
Primary source materials related to the Great Railway Strike of 1877. Includes newspaper accounts, a map, the diary of President Hayes, and various images.
Handout
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: Streamliners: James J. Hill, 1836 1916

For Students 9th - 10th
As part of a larger site about American railroads is this informative biography of James J. Hill, who built a rail line across the Northwest without federal assistance.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: About George Westinghouse

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a detailed biography about George Westinghouse with a link to an article about Westinghouse from the Wilmerding News, 1904. Read about his many inventions that improved railroad safety.
Website
Kentucky Educational Television

Ket: Kentucky's Underground Railroad: Passage to Freedom

For Students 9th - 10th
Kentucky Educational Television presents this PBS Award Winning special about the Underground Railroad in Kentucky. Video clips, songs, and excellent research make this site comprehensible and very useful to ELL students and any student...
Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: What Was Impact of the Railroads?

For Students 9th - 10th
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the positive economic benefits the construction of the railroads provided to the developing nation as a whole, and the negative impact it...

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