history chapter 3 lesson 2

How did the government encourage the building of the transcontinental railroad? MULTIPLE

The government encouraged the building of the transcontinental railroad by passing the Pacific Railway Act in 1862 and by offering land to railroad companies for every mile of track laid by that railroad company.

Who were some robber barons? Why were they called robber barons? MULTIPLE

The great wealth accumulated by railroad entrepreneurs, such as Jay Gould, led to accusation of swindling investors and taxpayers and bribing officials. Robber barons is a term used to describe industrialists who grew wealthy unethically.

What two railroad companies built the transcontinental railroad? MULTIPLE

The two corporations that built the transcontinental railroad are the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific. The government offered each company land along its right-of-way.

time zone:

a geographic region in which the same standard time is kept

land grant:

a grant of land by the federal government, especially for roads, railroads, or agricultural colleges

Land Grant: SHORT ANSWER

a grant of land by the federal government, especially for roads, railroads, or agricultural colleges most private investors could not raise the money needed to build railroads, so the federal government gave land grants to many railroad companies companies sold the land to raise money for construction unfortunately, misuse and even abuse of the government's generosity occurred accusations of swindling investors and taxpayers and bribing officials were common to get more grants, some investors began bribing members of Congress (e.g., The Credit Mobilier Scandal)