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How Did The Railroad Affect The Economy

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Railroads are the finest technology that could have ever been designed in the nineteenth century in America. Once railroads were invented it gave Americans a wide range of jobs. They were able to travel long distance with cutting near ninety percent of the travel time. Americans were also able to transport mail and goods across the states. Railroad unions rapidly grew across America; by the time civil war started in 1861 the United States had about 30,000 miles of rail net. As railroad unions spread across the states they soon found their selves in competition with canals. However, railroads were able to be built in locations that canals could not get access to; which gave railroads even more business. The railroad had a rapid expansion that had an effect on both political and economic development throughout the states; which were good and bad. However, with the railroads intensifying so quickly it made things a lot easier for personal and business usage to travel and ship goods. …show more content…

Railroad companies had a wide-ranging of jobs. Railroad employees ranged from uneducated freight handlers to the train engineers to those who built and restored the tracks. Though, most engineers were native born men, European immigrants built and restored the tracks, and African Americans worked as Pullman or any uneducated duties. Even though, railroads played an enormous part in everything and times were good for them the wages were low, hours were long, and working circumstances was a big hazard for all workers. Employees were working approximately 16 hours within 24 hours. By 1900 there were about 15,000 railroad workers in Chicago alone, and by 1930 the employee rate had doubled. Also by the 1930s African Americans were able to join the new unions. The new unionized railroad workers got paid more and the work environment was much

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