what are the positive and negative effects of railroads in the united states during the 1880's?

Answer 1

The construction of railroads, especially in the West and South, with the resulting demand for steel rails, was a major force in the expansion of the steel industry and increased the railroad mileage in the United States from less than 93,262 miles in 1880 to about 190,000 miles in 1900. Technological advances, including the utilization of the Bessemer and open-hearth processes in the manufacture of steel, resulted in improved products and lower production costs. A series of major inventions, including the telephone, typewriter, linotype, phonograph, electric light, cash register, air brake, refrigerator car, and the automobile, became the bases for new industries, while many of them revolutionized the conduct of business. The use of petroleum products in industry as well as for domestic heating and lighting became the cornerstone of the most powerful of the new industries of the period, while the trolley car, the increased use of gas and electric power, and the telephone led to the establishment of important public utilities that were natural monopolies and could operate only on the basis of franchises granted by state or municipal governments. The widespread employment of the corporate form of business organization offered new opportunities for large-scale financing of business enterprise and attracted new capital, much of it furnished by European investors. Over all this industrial activity, there presided a colourful and energetic group of entrepreneurs, who gained the attention, if not always the commendation, of the public and who appeared to symbolize for the public the new class of leadership in the United States. Of this numerous group the best known were John D. Rockefeller in oil, Andrew Carnegie in steel, and such railroad builders and promoters as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Henry Villard, and James J. Hill.

Answer 2

Trying to keep it to the 1880s is tricky. Cross country was new, before that were only the short lines that hauled raw resources. Oh I know! That is when the railroad became a people-hauler!

Rails needed to become a standardized gauge.

Another interesting effect was all the new surveying, and checkerboarding the surveyed land in sections.

A whole new boom began that aided in spurring the economies of both the north and across the war-devastated south because of the way resources and manufactured goods could be moved.

A new postwar diaspora allowed new territories to be settled across the country. Families from north and south settled near one another and their children married, as well as bringing another huge influx of European immigrants to the interior, especially germanic and eastern euros, spread out into those new territories and states.

Answer 3

Some more positive effects are:

That the land around the physical railroad tracks was sold cheaply to those interested in developing it. People were eager to buy and settle this land, creating towns.

Railroads also layed the ground work for future roads and highways.

Answer 4

Positive: It opened up the vast western areas of the US to people and helped speed the populating of those areas, especially California.
Negatives: It disregarded any and all land rights and claims by the Plains Indians and even early settlers. If the railroad wanted your land...they got it. And they took massive advantage of cheap labor by, for the most part, Irish and Chinese laborers, forcing them to work in awful conditions we can't even imagine today!

Answer 5

After the transcontinental was completed in 1869, the next two decades were decades of expansion, especially from east to west, joining the nation into one solid unit, with trade and communication. However, it also infringed heavily on the Native Americans, isolated and ruined some towns that were off the tracks and also created a very dirty and dingy environment from coal dust and dirt.

Answer 6

Positive - it made travel a lot easier. Wagon trains took about six months to go from the Mississippi to the Pacific. Trains could cross it in a couple of weeks. It made it easier for farmers and manufacturers to get their produce and products to markets. It cut the cost of transportation so people could buy more with less.

Negative - it forced the native Americans out of tribal lands promised to them so the tracks could cut through the lands. The trains were big polluters.

Answer 7

convinced. A revolution in approach in the course of choose and greed. With the prefer to guard your self and community. The crumple of the U. S. Empire lower than the burden of its debt will go away human beings sitting round waiting in ineffective for the nanny state to rescue them. (or fox / ccn information tell them what to do) Be prepared for replace.

Answer 8

since my husband works for the railroad...i'd say the positive effect is his paycheck.