The Building of Railroads in America
Who constructed railroads?
A. State governments
B. Native American tribes
C. National governments
D. Private investors
Answer:
D
Explanation:
Private Investors constructed railroads
Who constructed most of the railroads?
Private investors constructed railroads. The appropriate response is option D.
The American railroad industry's founding father is regarded as John Stevens. On a circular experimental track built on his property in Hoboken, New Jersey, Stevens established the viability of steam locomotion in 1826, three years earlier George Stephenson in England completed a workable steam locomotive.
The Pacific Railroad Acts, approved by Congress in 1862, established the 32nd parallels as the first transcontinental route and provided large grants of land for right-of-way. The Union Pacific as well as the Central Pacific were given permission by the law to build the railroad.
From Sacramento, California, and Promontory, Utah, there were almost 700 miles of railroad tracks, with the majority of the personnel being Chinese.