Dreams of a Transcontine tal Railroad 1. Why were people moving to westward in 1848? 2. What were some of the challenges that people experienced by these migrants? 3. How did the transcontinental railroad impact the cost of travel? Two Competing Companies: The Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroad 4. What did the Pacific Railroad act stipulate? 5. Describe the businessmen who built the railroad.

1. In 1848, people were moving westward for various reasons, including the promise of land, economic opportunities, and the idea of Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that the United States had a divine right to expand across the continent.<br />2. Some of the challenges that migrants experienced included harsh weather conditions, difficult terrain, lack of resources, and conflicts with Native American tribes.<br />3. The transcontinental railroad significantly reduced the cost of travel by providing a faster, more efficient, and safer means of transportation compared to previous methods such as wagon trains or stagecoaches.<br />4. The Pacific Railroad Act stipulated that the federal government would provide land and financial incentives to railroad companies to encourage the construction of a transcontinental railroad.<br />5. The businessmen who built the railroad were often referred to as "railroad barons" or "robber barons." They were wealthy and influential individuals who invested in and controlled the railroad industry, often using aggressive and sometimes unethical business practices to gain profits and expand their operations.