The joining of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines at Promontory Summit completed the first transcontinental railroad across the United States, linking the Atlantic and Pacific coasts by rail for the first time. The railroad cut cross-country travel time from months to about a week and opened interior farmland, mines, and ranches to national and international markets. Much of the Central Pacific's grading and tunneling was performed by Chinese immigrant laborers under harsh and dangerous conditions, while Irish immigrants made up much of the Union Pacific's workforce. The railroad accelerated the settlement of western lands, often at the direct expense of Native American nations whose territories and bison herds it cut through.
Relevance to Trade History
Integrated the American interior into national and global trade networks, dramatically lowering the cost of moving goods across the continent.
Read the full story in our article Railroads and the Expansion of Inland Trade.
Source: Library of Congress. See our Sources & Methodology page for how we select and verify references.