Age of Railroads

1. What problems did employees of the railroad companies face?


A few problems that employees of the railroad companies faced included accidents, diseases, and attacks from native americans.


2. What was it like to live as a Pullman employee in the town of Pullman?


It was a luxury to live as a Pullman employee in the town of Pullman. You were well provided for, nearly all of your needs taken care of. You didn't have the right to drink alcohol or loiter and hang around, because of course you were living in that town for the sole reason of being a worker... however, it was well worth it.


3. Who was involved in Crédit Mobilier, and what was the purpose of this company?


Stockholders in the Union Pacific Railroad formed Credit Mobilier and the purpose of this company was to lay tracks of railroads down at two to three times the actual cost, to pocket the profits.


4. In what ways did the railroad companies use their power to hurt farmers?


railroad companies used their power to hurt farmers by fixing prices which kept farmers in debt, charging customers different rates, often demanding more for short hauls, and misusing government land grants.


6. Why didn’t the Interstate Commerce Act immediately limit the power of the railroads? 
  
The Interstate Commerce Act didn't immediately limit the power of the railroads because of a long legal process & resistance from the railroads.

Expansion of Industry

Factor 1: Abundant Natural Resources

A. Which resources played crucial roles in industrialization? 

Oil, coal, iron

B. How did Edwin L. Drake help industry to acquire larger quantities of oil?

 Edwin L Drake helped industry to acquire larger quantities of oil by using a steam engine to drill. He was the first to discover that removing oil from under the earth's surface was practical. 

C. How did the Bessemer process allow better use of iron ore?

The Bessemer process allowed better use of iron ore by injecting air into molten iron to remove carbon and other impurities. This was a quicker, more accurate process of using iron ore in different products so by 1880, 90% of American manufacturers were using this method to produce the nation's steel.

D. What new uses for steel were developed at this time?

Machines, barbed wire, railroad tracks, bridges, and large buildings (skyscrapers)


Factor 2: Increasing number of Inventions

A. How did Thomas Alva Edison contribute to this development? 

Edison contributed to this development of increasing the number of inventions by improving upon the idea of incandescent light bulb & also created an entire system for producing & distributing electrical power.

B. How did George Westinghouse contribute to it? 

George Westinghouse contributed to Edison's experiments by adding innovations that made electricity safer and less expensive.

C. How did Christopher Sholes contribute? 

Christopher Sholes contributed by inventing the typewriter.
D. How did Alexandar Graham Bell contribute? 

Alexander Graham Bell contributed by inventing the telephone.