The Transcontinental Railroad Built — Reading Comprehension

The Transcontinental Railroad was a huge project that changed the United States. Before the railroad, people traveled west on foot, by horse, or in wagons. It was slow and dangerous. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act. This law helped two railroad companies start building tracks across the country.

The Union Pacific Railroad started in Omaha, Nebraska, and built west. The Central Pacific Railroad began in Sacramento, California, and built east. Workers faced hard jobs. They had to cross tall mountains and hot deserts. Many workers were immigrants, including thousands from China. They used explosives to break through rocks. They worked in all kinds of weather, from cold snow to hot sun.

Leaders and workers showed determination. They did not give up, even when the work got hard. The two tracks met at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869. On that day, the final "Golden Spike" was hammered into the track. A telegraph was sent across the country with the message, "The last rail is laid. The last spike driven."

The Transcontinental Railroad helped people travel faster and safer. It connected towns and cities. It brought new jobs and goods. It made the United States feel more like one country. The work showed how people can join together to solve big problems.

Interesting Fact: The trip across the country went from taking six months to just one week after the railroad was finished!

What year was the Pacific Railway Act signed?

Where did the two railroads meet?

Who signed the Pacific Railway Act?

Why was building the railroad hard?

How did the railroad change travel?

What did the Golden Spike celebrate?

The railroad was finished in 1869. True or false?

What does the word 'determination' mean?