Primary Sources
Book
Williams, Henry. The Pacific Tourist. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Library, 1876. Making of America. Web. 7 June 2016.
In this travel guide, Williams describes the magnificence of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Williams notes that the railroad explored the uncharted West. In 1860, the population of the
West was 619,000. According to this guide, the population doubled by 1870. Williams says that
the labor and research of the Transcontinental Railroad is “beyond expression or terms of
comparison.” Over 40 artists collaborated on the artwork in the guide trying to capture the
beauty of the West. The descriptions and artwork of the West in this guidebook help me
understand the great accomplishment and wonder of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Cartoon
"Does Not Such a Meeting Make Amends?" 29 May 1869. Cartoon.Central Pacific RailroadPhotographic Museum. N.p., 8 Apr. 2016. Web. 8 June 2016.
Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper published this cartoon after the completion of the
Transcontinental Railroad. The cartoon depicts two hands representing the Union and Central
Pacific reaching towards each other. Below, Native Americans run in fear. Native American life
was destroyed by the Transcontinental Railroad. The railroad made it easier for white settlers to
explore the West and to take Indian land. The railroad also killed buffalo, the animal
necessary to Native American life and culture. By 1870, Native Americans had been relocated to
ten different reservations. This source helped me understand the fear and hatred the Native
Americans had for the Transcontinental Railroad.
Collections
"Westward by Sea: A Maritime Perspective on American Expansion." (1820-1890). Mystic Seaport. Web. 7 June 2016.
This collection of diaries and letters was written by travelers sailing around South America to reach the West coast. From reading these documents, I learned that the trip was filled with disease and often could be deadly. The trip could take up to six months. The Transcontinental Railroad made travel to the West easier and more efficient. This source helped me understand the importance of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Modelski, Andrew. "Railroad Maps of the United States: Original 19th-century Maps in the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress." (1828-1900). Library of Congress. Web. 7 June 2016.
Modelski’s collection of railroad maps dates from 1828 to 1900. Early maps show railroads
covering the Eastern portion of the United States. After the completion of the Transcontinental
Railroad, more routes began to stretch out to the West. Looking at this collection of maps helped
me understand how the Transcontinental Railroad helped lead exploration westward.
Journal
Dorney, P.S. “A Prophecy Partly Verified.” 1886. Print. Reconstruction and Industrialization. Chicago: William Benton, 1971. Print. Vol. 10 of The Annals of America.
P.S. Dorney’s journal analyzes the discrimination and attacks against the Chinese during
the time of the Transcontinental Railroad. After the completion of the railroad in 1869, Chinese
workers flooded the labor markets on the West Coast. American workers felt threatened by these
Chinese workers. They felt as if they were taking Americans’ jobs because the Chinese would
accept lower pay. They called the working Chinese the “yellow peril.” Whites reacted to the
competition by rioting and resorting to violence. This source helped me understand the nation’s
attitude towards the Chinese after the Transcontinental Railroad.
Legal Acts
Chinese Exclusion Act. 1882. “Chinese Exclusion Act.” Our Documents. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
The Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law in 1883 by President Chester Arthur. It was an
attempt to solve unemployment for white Americans. The Chinese came to the West to build the
Transcontinental Railroad. Their intelligence in engineering and willingness to accept lower pay
made them preferable to white workers. The Chinese Exclusion Act prevented Chinese from
becoming citizens and stopped Chinese immigration for ten years. This source helped me
understand the discrimination against the Chinese that took place because of the
Transcontinental Railroad.
Geary Act. 1892. “Geary Act.” Our Documents. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
The Geary Act extended the Chinese Exclusion Act for ten more years. In 1902, the barring of
Chinese immigration became permanent. White workers were angry at the Chinese because the
Chinese were taking their jobs. This source helped me understand the lasting impact hiring
Chinese workers on the Transcontinental Railroad had on America.
Homestead Act. 1862. “Homestead Act.” Our Documents. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jun. 2016.
On May 20, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which exchanged 160
acres of land for 5 years of continuous residence. The Homestead Act created a bigger need for a
transcontinental railroad and angered Native Americans. This source helped me understand the
promises the government made to new settlers in the Midwest.
Pacific Railway Act. 1862. "Pacific Railway Act." Our Documents. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
The Pacific Railway Act was passed during a very controversial time. Abraham Lincoln waited
until after the South had seceded from the Union. He knew that the Southern states would not
agree to the Northern route. The Pacific Railway Act gave the Central Pacific and the Union
Pacific permission to start construction. It also granted the two companies land and money. This
source helped me understand how the Transcontinental Railroad had its start.
Letters
"A Glimpse of Mormon Immigrants." Letter. 23 July 1868. American Experience. Web. 7 June 2016.
In this letter written by a Union Pacific railroad worker, the author describes his encounter with Mormon immigrants in Omaha. While the train made a stop in Omaha, the worker saw Mormon immigrants desperate for money. The immigrants were planning on traveling West. According to the author, seeing the poor immigrants helped him realize how the Transcontinental Railroad would improve travel and the possibility of the American dream. This letter helped me understand the positive impact the Transcontinental Railroad had on exploration and immigration.
Stanton, Edwin. Letter to William Sherman. 5 Feb. 1867. Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum. Web. 7 June 2016.
In this letter, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton authorizes General Sherman’s order to send troops to protect railroad work crews. Troops were needed to regulate travel and protect the crews from attacking Plains Indians. The Native Americans attacked the work crews to protest the theft of their land by white settlers. This source helped me understand the government’s reaction to the protest of the angry Native Americans.
Newspaper Articles
"East and West: Completion of the Great Line Spanning the Continent." New York Times 11 May 1869: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 5 June 2016.
The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was a monumental moment in American
history. The ceremony of the Golden Spike took place on May 10, 1869. The article described
the excitement as “deafening shouts of the multitude” and said that many New Yorkers were
planning on taking a trip to San Francisco on the new route. This source is primary because it
was published during the celebration of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. This
source helped me understand the excitement over having a quicker route to the West.
"The Great Chief: Red Cloud Meets His White Brethren at Cooper Institute." New York Times 17 Jun. 1870: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 7 June 2016.
After the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, Chief Red Cloud presented this
speech at Cooper Institute. As this article reported, Red Cloud was saddened by the success of
the railroad. He said that all Sioux Indians were sad and angry about being removed from their
homeland. Red Cloud proposed an idea of equality; he asked why the white men had the
superiority to seize Native American land. He also referred to the Declaration of Independence
by stating “all men are created equal.” This source helped me understand the perspective of the
Plains Indians during the time of the Transcontinental Railroad.
"Railroad Celebration East." The Daily Herald 11 May 1869: n. pag. Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum. Web. 5 June 2016.
Chicago was full of celebration on May 10, 1869. This newspaper article explains the
celebrations that took place on the day the Transcontinental Railroad was completed. After
Leland Stanford drove in the last spike, the city was decorated with banners and flags. According
to the article, nearly every vehicle in the city participated in a grand parade. This source helped
me understand the momentous impact the Transcontinental Railroad had in the East.
"A Transcontinental Railway." New York Times 16 Dec. 1869: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 5 June 2016.
After completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, the railroad industry grew. On December 15,
1896, committee in New York met and discussed building more railroad track throughout the
state. They noticed what a successful impact the Transcontinental Railroad had on trade. The
Railroad made it easier to transport goods to and from the West. After the Transcontinental
Railroad was completed, the number of tracks and routes across the country continued to
increase. This source helped me understand how the Transcontinental Railroad was a known
success and helped create new railroads.
Proposals
Judah, Theodore. "A Practical Plan for Building the Pacific Railroad." 1 Jan. 1857. Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco. Web. 7 June 2016.
In this proposal, Judah describes the potential of a transcontinental railroad and how he would
plan to build it. Before making his proposal, Theodore Judah and Daniel Strong planned a path
to the West Coast. They mapped a route for their potential railroad. In his plans, Judah proposed
snow sheds to block the tracks from the snow. He also reassured that a path through the Sierra
Nevada range was possible. Judah convinced four investors to help support him by encouraging
the Pacific Railroad that his plans would work. In his proposal, Judah refers to the
Transcontinental Railroad as the “most magnificent project ever conceived.” I used this quote on
my exhibit. This source helped me understand how Judah’s enthusiasm and belief in the project
helped conceive the Transcontinental Railroad.
Whitney, Asa. "Memorial of Asa Whitney." 17 Jan. 1848. Central Pacific Railroad Photographic Museum. Web. 7 June 2016.
In 1848, Asa Whitney, a dry-goods salesman from the East, asked Congress for permission to
build a railroad from Michigan to the Pacific Coast. He wanted to make trade easier with China
by making an accessible route to the West Coast. In his proposal, Whitney promised to survey
the land, oversee the construction crews, and complete the first ten miles of track at his own
expense. Although his proposals were turned down, Whitney became a public speaker
advocating for a transcontinental railroad. Whitney lived to see the completion of the First
Transcontinental Railroad. This source helped me understand how Asa Whitney helped place the
idea of a transcontinental railroad into the public mind.
Speech
Meade, Erwin. “Chinese Immigration: Its Social, Moral, and Political Effect.” Sacramento. 7 Sept. 1877. Speech. Print. Reconstruction and Industrialization. Chicago: William Benton, 1971. Print. Vol. 10 of The Annals of America.
Meade presented his speech to the Social Science Association of America in 1877. Oriental
workers were known as “coolies.” They were neat, patient, hardworking, and did not participate
in labor unions. American workers, however, did not like the “coolies.” Americans thought that
the Chinese were taking their jobs. In this address, Meade suggested limiting Chinese
immigration to solve the problem of “coolies.” This speech is a primary source because it was
given during the time of Chinese discrimination after the Transcontinental Railroad. This source
helped me understand why Americans did not like the Chinese.
Secondary Sources
Artifacts
Golden Spike.
This is a replica of the Golden Spike, the last spike in the Transcontinental Railroad. Leland Stanford of the Central Pacific hammered in this spike at the ceremony at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869.
75th Anniversary Transcontinental Railroad Stamps.1944.
These stamps were issued in 1944 for the 75thanniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. I displayed them in front of my exhibit.
Books
Ambrose, Stephen. Nothing Like It in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad. New York City: Simon and Schuster, 2000. Print.
The Transcontinental Railroad had thousands of people behind it. President Abraham Lincoln
was one of the biggest supporters of the railroad. In 1862, he signed the Pacific Railway Act,
which approved the new railroad and granted it land and money. Irish and Chinese railroad
workers risked their lives working on the Transcontinental Railroad. Ted Judah and
Daniel Strong surveyed the land across the Sierra Nevada. This book helped me
understand the importance of the people that built the Transcontinental Railroad. It also helped
me understand the incredible feat the Transcontinental Railroad was and the hardships the
railroad workers endured.
Bain, David Haward. Empire Express: Building the First Transcontinental Railroad. New York City: Penguin Group, 1999. Print.
I used a photo of Theodore Judah from this book. Judah was an Eastern Railroad engineer. In
1860, he and Daniel Strong found a path through the Sierra Nevada mountains through the
Donner Pass. He convinced Lincoln that a transcontinental railroad was necessary. He
found four investors to help him start his new railroad company, the Central Pacific. Once the
railroad started construction, the investors and Judah began to argue over money and morals. In
1863, Judah traveled by ship to New York City, and died of yellow fever. This source helped me
understand “Crazy Judah’s” vision for the railroad and how the “Big Four” came to be in control
of the Central Pacific.
Blumberg, Rhoda. Full Steam Ahead: The Race to Build a Transcontinental Railroad. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1996. Print.
The Transcontinental Railroad impacted the civilization of the West. As construction
continued to go West, railroad workers would set up tent cities. Some of these towns would
become permanent. Gamblers, saloon owners, prostitutes, and outlaws followed the tracks and
stopping at each town. These towns were called “Hell on Wheels” towns because of their tough
nature. Cheyenne, Wyoming, was an example of one of the roughest towns. Grenville Dodge,
chief engineer of the Union Pacific, did not like the bad publicity and immorality on his railroad
line and asked for government support. The troops chased out the worst outlaws and within a
year, the town of Cheyenne had a school and a church. This source helped me understand how
the rough “Hells on Wheels” towns became civilized cities.
Borneman, Walter. Rival Rails: The Race to Build America's Greatest Transcontinental Railroad. New York City: Random House, 2010. Print.
The Transcontinental Railroad was finished on May 10, 1869, in Promontory Summit, Utah. The
two railroad companies had been racing to finish first. Thomas Durant led the Union Pacific, and
the “Big Four” controlled the Central Pacific. The Central Pacific had less land to cover but
more difficult terrain to cross. The Union Pacific had the flat lands of the Great Plains but dealt
with Native American attacks and lack of supplies. The Union Pacific reached Utah first and
won the race. This source helped me understand the two rival companies that built the
Transcontinental Railroad.
Burger, James. The Transcontinental Railroad. New York City: Rosen Publishing Group, 2002. Print.
The Central Pacific hired over 7,000 Chinese workers. At first, Charles Crocker did not want to
hire the Chinese. He did not think they were competent enough to do the work. He eventually
gave in because their labor was cheaper, and he was desperate for workers. Instead of being
incapable, the Chinese actually brought many new methods of construction to the railroad. They
would be lowered down over mountainsides in wicker baskets. They would place nitroglycerin
into crevices in the rock, and would be quickly lifted back up. The Chinese were paid less and
were required to bring their own equipment. Even while working, the Chinese kept their
customs. They would drink tea and set up camp according to traditions. This source helped me
understand discrimination against Chinese during the construction of the Transcontinental
Railroad.
Crewe, Sabrina, and Michael Uschan. The Transcontinental Railroad. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2004. Print.