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The First Transcontinental Railroad

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The act that sticks out in my mind the most was the Pacific Railway Act that was passed in 1862. This act promoted westward expansion by providing vast amounts of land to construct the first transcontinental railroad. Which greatly increased western expansion and impacted America in numerous ways. Small towns along the railroad boomed, it provided a means of transportation, beef became part of the diet for millions, it made cattle ranching a sustainable industry, and shipping of agriculture gained another avenue. Nevertheless, these are only a few of the multitude of benefits that came with the railroad that connected the world in a way that never existed before in the United States. Not to mention the railroad exponentially increased commerce

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