Railroad Essay

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Railroads have made better the lives of most citizens in the US. By the 1890s, the United States was becoming an urban nation , railroads were a great way of transport between towns. They were used for the shipping of food, building materials and fuel. The presence of them could bring a territory a lot of opportunities as well as it could change its economy in many ways. Railroads also helped to shape physically the growth of towns and also a lot business grew around focal points in the railroad industry. Later on, the United States transport system was composed by 320,000 kilometers of railroads that prolonged from the Pacific to the Atlantic and vice versa and also connecting with the frontier countries, Mexico and Canada. The first railroad in the United States was built in 1764 in Lewiston, New York. It was a gravity railroad (works with a system of poles and doesn’t need a locomotive) that was used to transport products between the British troops. After 1829 when the first locomotive was incorporated in the country, the railroad industry experienced a great development and many businesses developed with it. The presence of railroads stimulated commerce . Many goods were transported from city to city. The most common ones were cotton (from south to north) and food. This food that was shipped was transported mostly from south to north. Other products like fuel and wood or building materials were transported from north to south. Also gold and fuel was transported from western US to eastern US. The railroads that were used for transportation from north to south were the CSX, Norfolk Southern and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe. CSX’s roots date back to the early n... ... middle of paper ... ...lacing it as the central place in the city. Railroads also had a great impact on the United States culture. The proximity of some people to railroads meant a constant mixing between different ethnic groups . During the Gold Rush in California, racial tensions increased in Western United States because workers returned there in order to get an employment. The existence of railroads also helped to extinguish the ethnic group of Native Americans. They became extremely exposed to society and their race slowly faded away. Railroads also inspired many writers and film makers and it allowed them to travel safely across the country. In conclusion, railroads had a big impact on the United States. It changed the way of living and the culture of the American society and a lot of many aspects. It developed commerce and transportation as well as many cities grew around it.

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