Railroads And Industrialization

Ever since the invention and adoption of the railroad, railroads have played a major role in the growth and expansion of the United States. Railroads in America changed the life of all citizens dramatically and played a major role in shaping the future of the United States. Because of the size of the United States, railroads became a crucial part of America. Railways and trains allowed the movement of the both freight and cargo across the 2,680 miles of the country both quickly, and cheaply. The railroad system in America was the single most important part of the growth and expansion of the United States due to its role in the expansion of the country, the creation and growth of businesses, and standardization.
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Many of the new businesses that began to pop up where businesses in industries that generally need a large amount of space. A good example of this is the cattle and timber industries mentioned earlier. Many businesses in these industries were able to develop and grow after the construction of the railroads in America. Just like in the previous example, cattle farmers were able to take advantage of the large amounts of land and space in the western United States. Cattle farmers were able to raise their animals in the west and, because of the decreased shipping prices, ship them around the country for food. Just like the cattle industry, the timber industry also was able to further develop. Because so many people were moving to the west coast, there was a high demand for building materials in the west. Timber industries in the east were able to gather wood from the eastern forests and ship it to the west for construction (Keller). Without the effects that the railroad's networks had on the shipping prices and movement of the population, these businesses would have never been able to grow with the same amount of magnitude in the U.S. With the changes, however, businesses and industries like these were able to flourish and prosper in the United States. There were also many existing businesses that grew substantially after the introduction of railroads in America as well. One of the largest impacts of the railroad systems in the United States had to do with the staggering growth it caused in existing businesses and industries. While there were many industries that experienced this growth, those that experienced it most were industries that had something to do with the railroads themselves. Some of these industries include the steel industry which was used to build the tracks for the railroads, the timber industry which was used to build the railroad ties, and the coal industry which was used