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Asa Whitney
Asa Whitney presented to congress a plan for the federal govternment to subsidize the building of a railroad from the Missisippi river to the pacific. -
Period: to
1845-1893
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Oregon
settlement of Oregon boundry and acquisition of western territorys from Mexico -
California
Gold in California encouraged the project into 1853 -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Senetor Stephen Douglas introduced his Kansas Nebraska act intended to win approval for a line from Chicago. Started contriversy between the North and the South, delayed the plans. -
Construction
Republican controlled congress, inacted legislation providing for construction of a transcontinental railroad -
Union Pacific
Union Pacific RR began construction from Omaha, Nebraska, while the Central Pacific broke ground at Sacremento, California -
Golden spike
Golden spike joined the two RR's. completed the first transcontinental RR -
1883
Northern Pacific RR connected Portland, Oregon. Santa Fe, New Mexico. And Los Angeles, California -
final line
Fifth line, great northern was completed in 1893
