June 22, 2025

The Railroads

All aboard for a journey through one of the most transformative chapters in American history! The rise of the railroads reshaped the nation—linking coasts, boosting industry, and changing how people lived and traveled. From the pounding of the Golden Spike to the creation of luxurious sleeper cars and federal regulation, railroads played a key role in building modern America. Test your knowledge and see how much you know about the iron rails that helped unite a country!


1. What was the name of the first major commercial railroad in the United States?
A) Union Pacific
B) B&O Railroad
C) Great Northern
D) Pennsylvania Railroad

2. In what year was the First Transcontinental Railroad completed?
A) 1849
B) 1869
C) 1876
D) 1883

3. Which two railroads were joined at Promontory Summit, Utah, to form the Transcontinental Railroad?
A) Santa Fe and Union Pacific
B) B&O and Central Pacific
C) Union Pacific and Central Pacific
D) Southern Pacific and Northern Pacific

4. Who drove the ceremonial “Golden Spike” into the final tie of the Transcontinental Railroad?
A) Abraham Lincoln
B) Leland Stanford
C) Cornelius Vanderbilt
D) Andrew Carnegie

5. Which immigrant groups were heavily involved in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad?
A) Irish and Chinese
B) German and Polish
C) Italian and Mexican
D) English and French

6. What 19th-century tycoon was known as the "Commodore" and made his fortune in railroads?
A) J.P. Morgan
B) John D. Rockefeller
C) Andrew Carnegie
D) Cornelius Vanderbilt

7. What federal act provided land grants to railroad companies to encourage expansion?
A) Homestead Act
B) Dawes Act
C) Pacific Railway Act
D) Interstate Commerce Act

8. What was the primary purpose of the Interstate Commerce Commission when it was created in 1887?
A) Build national railroads
B) Subsidize rail companies
C) Regulate railroad rates and practices
D) Promote steam engine research

9. What was the name of the luxurious long-distance train service founded by George Pullman?
A) Amtrak Express
B) Pullman Palace Car Company
C) Silver Zephyr
D) Burlington Northern Flyer

10. Which modern government-run passenger railroad service was created in 1971?
A) VIA Rail
B) Union Line
C) Amtrak
D) BNSF

ANSWER KEY
B) B&O Railroad
B) 1869
C) Union Pacific and Central Pacific
B) Leland Stanford
A) Irish and Chinese
D) Cornelius Vanderbilt
C) Pacific Railway Act
C) Regulate railroad rates and practices
B) Pullman Palace Car Company
C) Amtrak