What Role Did Railroad Play In Westward Expansion

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The availability of land and gold attracted many Americans west; thus, initiating America’s westward expansion. After the Civil War many people headed west where they began building cattle ranches and farming homesteads. In 1862 the government supported the settlement in the Great Plains by passing the Homestead Act.This act allowed people to own land with a $10 registration fee. A person could claim up to 160 acres of public land and could receive the title to the land after he/she lived in it for five years.The purpose of this act was to bring people out to the West in order to settle and explore. At beginning when the settlers arrived they faced many geographic challenges; however, the settlers soon learned how live in harsh conditions. As a result, farming become a highly profitable on the plains. Thus, it attracted many farmers from different places such as Minnesota nd Midwestern states to come to the plains and begin their own farming of wheat.Wheat was a more drought resistant crop that flourished in the Great Plain.The …show more content…
Prior to the Civil War the ranchers had little reason to round up their cattle.The prices of the beef were very low and moving the cattle from the west to the east was not very effect. However when Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act in 1862, this changed. This act allowed the construction of a transcontinental railroad by the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroad companies. These railroads would connect the west and the east coast. Simultaneously, the prices of beef rose up; thus, making it worthwhile to round up the cattle and send them to the eastern markets.As a result, the ranchers began using the railroads to transport their cattle to the east and make profits. This attracted many others into coming and settling in the

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