Students create a visual about a mode of transportation and how it has contributed to human movement. Then they watch a brief video to learn about the construction of the transcontinental railroad and its contributions to the economic development of the United States. Next they focus on the role of Chinese immigrants in the construction work and analyze why immigrants often take low-paying jobs. Finally, they examine both primary and secondary sources about early train robberies.
Students view an image of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad and read background text describing how the railroad connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and dramatically reduced travel time. They then respond to a collaborative wall prompt predicting ways the railroad may have impacted the development of the United States.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the experience by reviewing the objectives and summarizing how the Transcontinental Railroad transformed travel and national development. Use sample ideas (easier travel and migration, movement of supplies and goods, impacts on American Indians, and environmental changes) to guide discussion as students share their predictions about the railroad’s effects.
Students examine an image of a tunnel on the Transcontinental Railroad and read about how the railroad opened trade between the eastern and western United States. They watch The Railroad: An Introduction and read The Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad to learn specific ways the railroad transformed America. Using this information, they complete a graphic organizer by identifying four distinct effects of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Teacher MovesPrompt students to identify multiple economic and social effects of the railroad, such as unifying the country, expanding transportation options, encouraging city growth along rail lines, and supporting economic expansion through improved communication and commerce. Use the additional examples provided to extend student thinking about industrialization, cultural change, and the relocation of American Indians.
Students read text explaining how expanding railroad lines increased demand for goods, labor, and raw materials and contributed to U.S. economic growth. They use Building the Transcontinental Railroad, 10 Ways the Transcontinental Railroad Changed America, and the opening paragraphs of The Interstate Commerce Act Is Passed to investigate how the railroad spurred economic development and why federal regulation became necessary. Students then post to a class wall explaining the connection between the railroad and the economic development of the United States, citing evidence from the readings.
Teacher MovesHighlight exemplary student responses for class discussion. Clarify how railroads supported economic growth by transporting raw materials, finished goods, and workers, and how fair business practices and federal regulation emerged in response to railroad power. Ask students how construction of the Transcontinental Railroad strengthened free enterprise, using the cited idea that its success reinforced American faith in what money, determination, and organization could accomplish.
Students analyze a political cartoon from 1869 and contribute to a word cloud by naming groups the cartoonist suggests did not benefit from the Transcontinental Railroad. They then read Economic, Environmental, and Social Impacts of the Transcontinental Railroad to explore how the railroad affected Utah and the broader region. Finally, they complete a graphic organizer that pairs positive aspects of the railroad (such as employment, management innovations, migration, government support, and national connection) with their corresponding negative results (such as poor labor conditions, corporate corruption, displacement of Native Americans, need for regulation, and environmental damage).
Teacher MovesGuide students to notice that Native Americans and buffalo are shown fleeing the tracks in the cartoon, signaling groups harmed by railroad expansion. As students complete the organizer, use the provided example pairings to help them articulate how the same developments that promoted growth also produced social, political, and environmental problems.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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