Transportation: Transcontinental Railroad
Learn about the history, construction, and impact of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. Includes historic photographs, maps, and suggested classroom activities. There is a link to an eThemes resource on trains.
Grades
- 3,
- 4,
- 5,
- 6,
- 7,
- 8,
- 9,
- 10,
- 11,
- 12
Links
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Driving the Last Spike
This site has information on the Central Pacific Railroad's "Big Four" who helped to get the transcontinental railroad built. NOTE: The site includes ads.
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Golden Spike Historic Site
Learn about Golden Spike Historic site in Promontory, Utah, which is the location where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads joined together.
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PBS: The Iron Road
This site has questions under the "Teacher's Guide" that correspond to the PBS film about the transcontinental railroad.
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I Hear the Locomotives: The Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad
This is a lesson plan in which "students analyze archival material in order to make connections between the arrival of the railroads and many of the changes that occurred subsequently in the United States and its territories." This lesson plan is for grades three through five.
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PBS: Lesson Plan
This lesson plan for grades 6-12 is about the affect of the transcontinental railroad on American life.
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Congress and the American West
This short article is about the role Congress played in the planning and construction of the transcontinental railroad.
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Historic Landmarks Relating to the First Transcontinental Railroads
View pictures of plaques commemorating landmarks for this railroad.
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PBS: Transcontinental Railroad
Students can explore the "Interactive Map," "Scouting Album," or "Interview."
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FactMonster: Transcontinental Railroad
This page introduces the construction of U.S. transcontinental railroad. NOTE: This site includes pop-up ads.
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US History
This lesson plan is provided by the "Virginia Standards of Learning."
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Golden Spike National Historic Site
The site is a comprehensive instructional program about the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. Click "Education and Research" and choose "Teachers Packet" for suggested activities.
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History of the Transcontinental Railroad
This site includes the proposal, the route, and the instructions of the two construction companies.
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Treasure of Congress
This exhibit hall displays a historic photograph and some primary documents relating to the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.
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Interactive Railroald Project
Photographs, maps, and text introduce the history of the construction of transcontinental railroads. Click on "Next" to advance the pages. "Teacher Notes" includes some classroom activity ideas.
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eThemes Resource: Transportation: Trains
Read all about railroads and trains. View historical photographs of trains or tune in to live shots from Webcams. There are also audio and video files about this mode of transportation.
Education Standards
