History of the Transcontinental Railroad

What was the Pony Express?

• A mail service created in 1860 to deliver mail from Missouri to California.

• A device that sends messages through wires using electricity.

• A railroad that crosses a continent.

• A type of horse used in the 1800s.

What is a telegraph?

• A device that sends messages through wires using electricity.

• A type of train used in the 1800s.

• A mail service created in 1860.

• A type of horse used for long-distance travel.

Who invented the telegraph and the Morse Code?

• Samuel Morse

• Thomas Edison

• Alexander Graham Bell

• Nikola Tesla

What is the Transcontinental Railroad?

• A railroad that crosses a continent

• A mail service that delivers mail across the country

• A device that sends messages through wires

• A type of horse used for long-distance travel

Which company began building track west from Omaha, Nebraska?

• The Union Pacific

• The Central Pacific

• The Southern Pacific

• The Northern Pacific

Which company began building track east from Sacramento, California?

• The Central Pacific

• The Union Pacific

• The Southern Pacific

• The Northern Pacific

Why did the Union Pacific have an advantage in the race to build the railroad?

• They were building across the broad, flat plains of Nebraska.

• They had more workers.

• They had more money.

• They had better technology.

Who moved to work on the railroads after the Civil War?

• Thousands of Irish immigrants

• Thousands of Chinese immigrants

• Thousands of African immigrants

• Thousands of Mexican immigrants

Who were included among the workers on the Union Pacific Railroad?

• Former Confederate soldiers and African Americans

• Former Union soldiers and Native Americans

• Former Mexican soldiers and Chinese workers

• Former British soldiers and Irish workers

How were the Chinese workers treated while building the Central Pacific Railroad?

• They were discriminated against and many people did not think they could handle the difficult work.

• They were treated equally and given the same pay as other workers.

• They were given special privileges and better working conditions.

• They were not allowed to work on the railroad.