USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Railroads became a major industry, stimulating other heavy industries such as iron and steel production. These advances in travel and transport helped drive settlement in the western regions of North America and were integral to the nation’s industrialization.

Detailed explanation-2: -Supported by government funds, railroad building boomed after the Civil War. There were only 2, 000 miles of track in 1850; by 1877 there were nearly 80, 000 miles in use. Crossing the wilderness, carrying people and freight at unheard-of speeds, the railroads changed the ways Americans thought and lived.

Detailed explanation-3: -Railroads opened up new markets for many different industries, including agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. Farmers could now ship their crops to cities and other states more easily and cheaply than ever before. Minerals and other resources could be transported from mines to factories more efficiently.

Detailed explanation-4: -The transcontinental railroad impacted U.S. commerce in a positive manner. It made it much faster to ship raw materials from the west to factories in the east. It also made it much quicker and cheaper to ship finished goods all over the country. Products became more widely available.