Building the Railroad: A Race Across America
Building the transcontinental railroad was a race between two companies: the Union Pacific building westward and the Central Pacific building eastward from California. The Union Pacific hired tens of thousands of Irish immigrants; the Central Pacific relied heavily on Chinese workers, who eventually made up 80-90% of that workforce. Both crews faced extreme weather, brutal terrain, and hazardous explosives to blast through mountains. The race ended on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah, when the two lines met. This Grade 4 history topic from Social Studies Alive! California's Promise Chapter 6 is an essential story of immigrant labor and industrial ambition.
Key Concepts
Building the railroad was a giant race that started soon after the law was passed.
The Union Pacific company built west from the Great Plains, hiring many Irish immigrants. The Central Pacific company built east from California. They hired thousands of Chinese workers, who eventually made up most of their workforce.
Common Questions
Who built the transcontinental railroad?
Two companies built the transcontinental railroad: the Union Pacific, which built westward from Omaha, Nebraska using mainly Irish immigrant workers, and the Central Pacific, which built eastward from Sacramento, California using primarily Chinese immigrant workers.
Why were Chinese workers important to building the transcontinental railroad?
Chinese workers did most of the most difficult work on the Central Pacific — blasting tunnels through the Sierra Nevada, working in extreme heat and cold, and laying track across the Nevada desert. By 1868, Chinese workers made up roughly 80-90% of the Central Pacific workforce.
What were the dangers of building the transcontinental railroad?
Railroad workers faced extreme physical danger: handling nitroglycerin and black powder explosives to blast through mountains, working in deep mountain snow, withstanding brutal desert heat, and suffering from accidents that killed hundreds of workers.
When was the transcontinental railroad completed?
The transcontinental railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah. Representatives of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific drove a ceremonial golden spike to mark the joining of the two lines.
Why was building the railroad called a race?
The two companies received land grants from the government for each mile of track they laid, giving both a financial incentive to build as fast as possible. They sometimes raced to claim territory, and the competition pushed both crews to extraordinary speeds.
What grade covers building the transcontinental railroad?
The building of the transcontinental railroad is covered in 4th grade California history in Social Studies Alive! California's Promise, Chapter 6.
How were Chinese railroad workers treated?
Chinese railroad workers were paid less than white workers for the same dangerous jobs, given the most hazardous assignments, and denied many of the rights their Irish counterparts had. Despite this, their labor was indispensable to completing the project.