The Golden Spike CelebrationThe Golden Spike Celebration

The Golden Spike CelebrationThe Golden Spike Celebration

Learning Goals: Learning Goals: 1. Describe how 1. Describe how the the transcontinental transcontinental railroad was railroad was built.built.

2. Summarize 2. Summarize how the railroads how the railroads changed the changed the nation.nation.

Journal: Journal: Write a paragraph Write a paragraph explaining to a friend why explaining to a friend why you and your family are you and your family are leaving your home in the leaving your home in the East to become East to become homesteaders on the homesteaders on the frontier.frontier.

Explanation: One reason that Explanation: One reason that people left the East was the people left the East was the opportunity to own land. The opportunity to own land. The letter can be from the point letter can be from the point of view of a parent or some of view of a parent or some other family member.other family member.

Journal: Imagine that you are the Journal: Imagine that you are the mayor of a town in the west. mayor of a town in the west. Create a Create a poster that will sell your town and make poster that will sell your town and make it look good for the railroad to come it look good for the railroad to come through. Describe through. Describe twotwo ways the railroad ways the railroad will benefit the town in the poster. Add will benefit the town in the poster. Add in one argument from someone in the in one argument from someone in the town on how the railroad would hurt the town on how the railroad would hurt the town. town.

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsWhy do you think the frontier was Why do you think the frontier was important to America? Think of a important to America? Think of a metaphor for the frontier. metaphor for the frontier.

Make a list of all the items you would find in a pioneer's sod house. Make a list of all the items that might have been found in a tepee. Compare the two.

1. 1. The job of The job of building the building the transcontinental transcontinental railroadrailroad was an was an enormous task enormous task that would that would connect the connect the Atlantic and Atlantic and Pacific coastsPacific coasts..

2. To complete 2. To complete the trans-the trans-continental continental railroad, railroad, the the Union Pacific Union Pacific laid more than laid more than 1,000 miles of 1,000 miles of track, track, mainly mainly across the across the Great Great PlainsPlains..

A Union Pacific A Union Pacific photographic car in 1868.photographic car in 1868.

Think-Pair- ShareThink-Pair- ShareIn the 1800s, people moved west for In the 1800s, people moved west for many reasons including job opportunity, many reasons including job opportunity, land, to build something new, gold, etc. land, to build something new, gold, etc. Today, many people are still moving to Today, many people are still moving to California, Colorado, Montana and other California, Colorado, Montana and other western states. What are the reasons western states. What are the reasons people moved west then and now?people moved west then and now?

Think about your answer and then turn Think about your answer and then turn to a neighbor and share your thoughts. to a neighbor and share your thoughts. We will share as a group.We will share as a group.

3. 3. Solar Solar timetime was was based on based on the the calculations calculations of the sun’s of the sun’s movement movement across the across the skysky..

4. 4. Standard Standard timetime was was created created because solar because solar time caused time caused problems for problems for people who people who scheduled scheduled long-distance long-distance trainstrains..

Think-Pair- ShareThink-Pair- ShareYou are the mayor of Abilene, Kansas. You are the mayor of Abilene, Kansas. The town has a problem with drunks, The town has a problem with drunks, fights, theft and gunfights. You have no fights, theft and gunfights. You have no jail, and the circuit judge comes through jail, and the circuit judge comes through only once every 2 weeks. How would you only once every 2 weeks. How would you solve this problem?solve this problem?Think about your answer and then turn to a Think about your answer and then turn to a neighbor and share your thoughts. We will neighbor and share your thoughts. We will share as a group.share as a group.

5. The Great 5. The Great Plains Plains covered covered the the area from the area from the Missouri Missouri River to the River to the Rocky Rocky MountainsMountains..

Cartoon, "The Cartoon, "The Senatorial Senatorial Roundhouse." Roundhouse." What ultimately What ultimately destroyed Native destroyed Native American American control of the Great control of the Great Plains was the Plains was the completion of the completion of the railroads.railroads.

6. 6. Native Native Americans Americans mainly mainly occupied occupied the the parts of the parts of the WestWest known known as the as the frontier.frontier. "The Dog Dance of the "The Dog Dance of the

Dakotas," by Seth Eastman, 1868.Dakotas," by Seth Eastman, 1868.

Think-Pair- ShareThink-Pair- ShareYou are a storekeeper in a small railroad town. Most of your business is from local residents (farmers, cattlemen and townspeople). Because you have the only store within 50 miles, you can charge any price for the goods and make money. You must support not only your own family, but your aging mother, who needs hospital care. You realize that the people in the area need your supplies to survive the long, hard winters. Do you keep the prices down to where they can afford them or keep your prices high to support your family better?

7. The 7. The railroads railroads changed the frontier changed the frontier byby: :

• SettlementSettlement of the of the frontier frontier quickenedquickened

• Raw materials were Raw materials were transported Easttransported East

• Finished goods, Finished goods, supplies, and settlers supplies, and settlers traveled Westtraveled West..

Workmen Workmen building building the Central the Central Pacific Pacific Railroad.Railroad.

The future of railroad after 1869.The future of railroad after 1869.

CLOSURE ACTIVITYCLOSURE ACTIVITY

Three W’sThree W’sStudents discuss or write (3 Ws):Students discuss or write (3 Ws):

•What did we learn today?What did we learn today?

•So What? (relevancy, importance, So What? (relevancy, importance, usefulness)usefulness)

•Now What? (How does this fit into Now What? (How does this fit into what we are learning?; Does it affect what we are learning?; Does it affect our thinking?)our thinking?)