Central Pacific & Union Pacific

3 Reading Comprehensions, Comparison, & Job Flyer Summative Assessment

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• Day 1: Reading of the Transcontinental Railroad. Have class discussion and be sure to discuss vocabulary words. Students complete the comprehension questions. Introduce route of railroad with map along with pictures found online of the construction and infer what we learn from them.

• Day 2: Reading of the Central Pacific. Have class discussion and be sure to discuss vocabulary words. Students complete the comprehension questions. Introduce pictures found online of the Sierra Nevada's and Chinese Immigrants and infer what we learn from them.

• Day 3: Reading of the Union Pacific. Have class discussion and be sure to discuss vocabulary words. Students complete the comprehension questions. Introduce pictures found online of the Native Americans, buffalo and Irish Immigrants and infer what we learn from them.

• Day 4: Compare and Contrast the Central Pacific and Union Pacific.

• Day 5: Introduce the Create a Job Flyer assignment. Explain the rubric to students and handout the student checklist. Students will need blank white pieces of computer paper to complete activity.

Transcontinental RailroadThe idea of the first transcontinental railroad

came to mind in 1830 by a man of the name, AsaWhitney. For years, Whitney approached Congress to pass an act to build the railroad, but failed many times. Thirty years later, Theodore Judah began lobbying for the railroad and even inspected the purposed land in order to find a pass where the railroad could be built. Thanks to Whitney’s idea and Judah’s ingenuity, the railroad was ready to be built.

The United States desperately needed a railroad that stretched from the East Coast of the country to the West Coast. Having a railroad would allow people to travel in a faster, safer, and cheaper away. There would no longer be use for wagon trains. However, people would not be the only ones riding the rails across the country. The railroad would also be able to carry supplies, mail, and trade goods across the country in just a few days.

Before building a railroad, a route had to be agreed upon. One route took a southern approach and traveled along Texas, New Mexico, and lead to Los Angeles, California. The other route took a central path across the United States, beginning in Omaha, Nebraska and ending in Sacramento, California. The central route followed a lot of the same direction as the Oregon Trail did. Eventually, Congress chose the central route.

Then, in 1862 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Act. The act stated that two railroad companies would partake in the construction. The Central Pacific Railroad would© FirstClassIn4thGrade

begin in California and the Union Pacific Railroad would begin in Nebraska. At some point, the two would meet in the middle and the construction would be complete. The railroad act also gave the two companies the land where they would be building the railroad and stated they would be paid per mile. However, more money would be paid for tracks laid in the mountains than on the flat plains.

After many decisions and choices to make, construction could finally begin. Assembly of the transcontinental railroad began in 1863 and finished in 1869. Building the railroad was tough, hard work, especially in the mountains. Weather conditions were especially harsh in the winter. Even more challenging was crossing over the mountains by blasting a tunnel. The longest tunnel built was 1,659 feet long in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Blasting tunnels was a slow process, on average the workers were able to blast around one foot per day.

Mountains and blasting tunnels were not the only trials faced while working on the Transcontinental Railroad. Native Americans felt threatened by the building of the railroad and raided several work sites. Sadly, some of the land the government granted to build the railroad was actually Native American land.

After decades of anticipation, the railroad was finally complete on May 10, 1869. After spending $136 million, the railroad stretched across 1,800 miles of the plains, desert, and mountains of the USA. The two sides of the railroads met in Promontory, Utah. The final spike, also known as “the Golden Spike” was drove into the railroad in honor of a job well done. © FirstClassIn4thGrade

Transcontinental RailroadLook back at your text and answer the questions.

© FirstClassIn4thGrade

Name: ____________________________ Date: ________

1. Why was Theodore Judah successful in getting Congress to agree to build the railroad rather than Asa Whitney?

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2. Define “lobbying”.

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3. In your own opinion, what was the most difficult part of constructing the transcontinental railroad and why?

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4. If the railroad was built between 1863-1869, why doesthe passage read “after decades of anticipation”?

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The Central Pacific RailroadSacramento, California was the starting point of

the Transcontinental Railroad for the Central Pacific. The railroad company laid their tracks east, as the plan was to meet their competitors, the Union Pacific, in the middle of the route. The Central Pacific was tasked with the difficult job of laying tracks across the Sierra Nevada mountain range. In the first year of construction, the Central Pacific only laid 31 miles of track. By the second year, only a total of 50 miles had been completed. The railroad was proving to be a mighty feat.

Unfortunately crossing the mountains was not the only difficult aspect of construction. The Central Pacific was faced with a labor shortage. In 1864, the company only had 600 workers, when originally they had planned on needing 5,000 members for the job. At the beginning of 1865, the Central Pacific was desperate for new laborers. Charles Crocker, the chief of construction, urged the company to employ Chinese immigrants. He argued that the people who built the Great Wall of China could build a railroad.

In 1866, three thousand Chinese immigrants were hired and soon grew to nearly 12,000 men, making up 75% of the Central Pacific laborers. The Chinese immigrated to California in hopes to strike it rich during the California Gold Rush in 1849. Many did not become exceedingly wealthy from their gold discoveries and changed to their plans to marrying and returning home to China. The Central Pacific offered the Chinese an option to remain in the United States and be able to support themselves. © FirstClassIn4thGrade

The Chinese immigrants worked twelve hours each day and six days out of the week. The workers only received between $26 to $35 a month for their laborious job. The Central Pacific did furnish the men with food and shelter, which allowed many immigrants to save nearly $20 each month. After the railroad was constructed, the Chinese workers who saved their profits were able to buy land and start the next stage of their lives.

The Chinese immigrants earned a reputation working on the railroad. They were known to be tireless and reliable workers, as well as patient and peaceful. However, the laborers were discriminated against and were often subjected to racial violence. California banded the immigrants from appearing in courts and sent the children to segregated schools.

Construction of the railroad was grueling labor. The Central Pacific preformed the task almost entirely by hand. The laborers used pickaxes, hammers, and crowbars to lay down the rails. The excess dirt and rocks were transported away in baskets and carts. Tree stumps that stood in the way had to be pulled out in order to drive the spikes and lay more tracks. Worst of all, tunnels had to be built. During the winter of 1865-1866, the railroad passage was leading straight through the Sierra Nevada mountain range. To complete the tunnel, three thousand workers dug the tunnel beneath 40-foot mounds of snow. Another time, the railroad’s path lead two thousand feet below in a valley. Chinese immigrants were lowered in baskets to be able to complete the tracks. Due to such risks of accidents, avalanches, and explosions, it was estimated at least 1,200 workers died.© FirstClassIn4thGrade

The Central Pacific RailroadLook back at your text and answer the questions.

© FirstClassIn4thGrade

Name: ____________________________ Date: ________

1. Not much progress was made in the first 2 years, give two reasons to explain the delay in construction.

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2. In your own opinion, were the Chinese immigrant laborers treated fairly for their work? Why or why not?

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3. Charles Crocker suggested to hire Chinese immigrants as laborers. Did he grant them a favor or a hardship?

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The Union Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific began construction on the

Transcontinental Railroad in Omaha, Nebraska and laid tracks west. Fortunately, the Union Pacific’s route was easier than their competitors, the Central Pacific who began in California. The Union Pacific was tasked with laying tracks across the plains.

At first the Union Pacific barely had 800 workers, when 4,000 was needed. The Union Pacific was mainly made up of two labor groups. Either the laborers were veterans of the Civil War or Irish immigrants. At the end of the Civil War, there was a flood of young veterans looking for work and the Union Pacific offered the men a lifestyle they were use to. Due to the war, the veterans were accustomed to sleeping outside, facing danger, enduring hardship, and working as part of a group.

In 1866, three thousand Irish immigrants became the main labor source for the Union Pacific. Fortunately, the Irish did not suffer the same discrimination as the Chinese laborers on the railroad. However, the immigrants received low pay for their hard work in dangerous territories.

On average, the workers were paid a dollar a day, but their housing was provided by the company. Union Pacific built special boxcars to accommodate the crew. Each car was eighty-five feet long with three-tiered bunk beds inside. There was also a boxcar for a kitchen, dining room, bakery, butcher, and a large pantry.

Although crossing the plains may have appeared as a simple task, the Union Pacific encountered© FirstClassIn4thGrade

many problems with Native American tribes. The Native Americans felt they had to protect their families and homes from the increasing population crossing their land. As a result, the Native Americans repeatedly attacked the Union Pacific and the laborers had to act as their own defense. The Native American warriors ambushed and killed laborers, tore up laid tracks, and attacked trains.

In 1867, President Andrew Johnson formed a Peace Commission to negotiate with tribal leaders. A peace conference in Nebraska was held, but conflicts continued. The Union Pacific found allies in the Pawnee tribe, who served as protection against the Sioux. In return, the Pawnees were given free passage on the trains. In the end, the Native American population saw their land destroyed.

As the Union Pacific headed west, they encountered herds of buffalo. The Native Americans of the plains used the buffalo as a food source, as well as a building material for their teepees and weapons. Before the Union Pacific entered the land, there were 15 to 60 million buffalos. However, after the railroad was completed, and settlers had arrived to the plains, less than a thousand buffalo remained.

Before long, the Union Pacific had become extremely efficient at laying more than a mile of track a day. At one point, the laborers were able to lay eight and a half miles in a single day. The Union Pacific had set the standard for laying tracks and the Central Pacific felt pressured to speed up. In the end, the Union Pacific laid 1,087 miles of track, whereas the Central Pacific only laid 690 miles. Finally in 1869, a telegraph announced the job “done”.© FirstClassIn4thGrade

The Union Pacific RailroadLook back at your text and answer the questions.

© FirstClassIn4thGrade

Name: ____________________________ Date: ________

1. Infer from the text, why the Union Pacific’s construction only began with 800 laborers.

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2. In your opinion, was the building of the Transcontinental Railroad worth the Native Americans losing their land?

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3. The route the Union Pacific took was easier, but which company faced the most difficult tasks along the way?

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The Union Pacific RailroadLook back at your text and answer the questions.

© FirstClassIn4thGrade

Name: ____________________________ Date: ________

1. Infer from the text, why the Union Pacific’s construction only began with 800 laborers. (Hint: The Civil War took place from 1861-1865.)

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2. In your opinion, was the building of the Transcontinental Railroad worth the Native Americans losing their land?

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3. The route the Union Pacific took was easier, but which company faced the most difficult tasks along the way?

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To create your job flyer, follow the directions. Use the checklist to ensure you have finished each step. At the end double-check that you have completed

your flyer by checking with the rubric. Attach your rubric to the job flyer.

Begin with a blank white piece of paper. Write my name in the top left corner. Choose to create a flyer for the Central Pacific

or Union Pacific. I choose to create my job flyer for _________________________________________________.

Using evidence from the text, write an explanation of my location choice on the back of the paper. My explanation is at least a paragraph long. I have included text evidence for my

reasoning. I have checked my paragraph for capitals,

punctuation, spelling. I have used my best handwriting.

Illustrate job flyer with positive outcomes that occurred with my railroad company choice.

Illustrate job flyer with negative outcomes that occurred with my railroad company choice.

Color my picture appropriately and neatly. Double-check that I have followed directions by

looking at the rubric and ensuring I am meeting expectations.

Attach rubric to job flyer and turn in.

© FirstClassIn4thGrade

Create A Job Flyer DirectionsName: ____________________________ Date: ________

Student ExampleThis is one of my struggling readers. He is an English Language Learner and does not have a lot of background knowledge or vocabulary. Normally in reading he is very introverted. This assessment allowed him the opportunity to express his knowledge and what he’s learned in a new way. His explanation with text evidence was written on the back (not pictured).

© FirstClassIn4thGrade

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