Why were the railroads so important to America's second industrial revolution?


Why were the railroads so important to America's second industrial revolution? The railroad became a way for companies to ship to each other from across the country, transport raw materials to factories, and send final products to consumers. Not only did the railway system grow due to the flourishing businesses, but corporations expanded as well due to the growth of the railway system.


Why were railroads considered a powerful symbol of the Industrial Revolution?

The railroads powered the industrial economy. They consumed the majority of iron and steel produced in the United States before 1890. As late as 1882, steel rails accounted for 90 percent of the steel production in the United States. They were the nation's largest consumer of lumber and a major consumer of coal.


How important is the railroad to America?

Everything from food, to lumber, to motor vehicles is transported on the railways, and our society as we know it simply could not function without them.


How did railroads contribute to urban growth during the Second Industrial Revolution?

Answer and Explanation: Railroads contributed to urban growth during the Second Industrial Revolution by making travel times much quicker, allowing for more goods to be delivered in cities. This, in turn, helped with factory growth and transporting people in greater numbers on a more consistent basis.


What was the importance of railroads to the American economy?

By 1900, much of the nation's railroad system was in place. The railroad opened the way for the settlement of the West, provided new economic opportunities, stimulated the development of town and communities, and generally tied the country together.


What was a benefit of the railroad in Britain?

Railways allowed people to travel further, more quickly. This allowed leisure travel, and contributed to the growth of seaside resorts. It also allowed people to live further from their places of work, as the phenomenon of commuting took hold.


How did the growth of the railroads change the land in America?

The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad dramatically catalyzed the development of the West, a process that both extended settlement and mining into otherwise unreachable areas and caused desertification (or, dry and arid conditions) in places along the route.


Did the railroads benefit American lives?

This monumental engineering feat had for the US. It caused trade to flourish, and by 1880, the railroad was moving $50m worth of freight each year. As new towns sprung up along the rail line, it changed where Americans lived, spurred westward expansion and made travel more affordable.