For much of America’s earlier history, there was only one oceanic coastline, the east remained vastly unsettled. This was due to many reasons, but more than anything it was due to the difficulty of journeying across unsettled, untamed land; there was no easier way than walking. Although there were existing railroads as early as 1830, there was no standardization between all the competing enterprises, nor was there any single unified track between numerous regions of the nation. It was not until May 10, 1969, the completion of the transcontinental railroad, that true unity was present across the country (The Pacific Railway). It may have been the same nation, but with the completion and expansion of the railroad, the west became a new land. The railroad connected seemingly two different parts of the world; material could be transported with ease, information could be actively shared from ocean to ocean, and people could easily migrate across the nation. This propelled economic …show more content…
Scrap metal drives were held, women drew lines down the backs of their legs to stimulate nylon stockings, consumer goods like automobiles and refrigerator were simply not produced, and backyard gardens produced up to 8 million tons of food (The American Homefront). The astonishing extent rationing and preservation that occurred on a nation level quite accurately fueled an entire war.
5. At the start of World War I, the U.S declared itself neutral. This neutrality was questionable. While the U.S may not have been directly fighting for Axis or Allies, weapons and materials were supplied to Allied countries in great numbers. They may not have been in the trenches, they may not have bad to fire a single round, but the U.S was undoubtedly funding the frothing war