Railroads and U.S. Expansion
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The development of the railroads was a key element in the expansion of the United States and in the economic well-being of the nation during the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century. The railroad was a transportation and communication marvel compared to anything that had existed previously. It crossed the territories of the nation and made it possible to travel from one end of the country to the other or to send mail and goods along the same routes. The development of the railroads was itself a mater of business expansion on a grand scale, starting with small lines and ending with vast networks of tracks which nurtured cities and towns all along their length. In terms of business history, the development of the railroads was not only the first big business venture in America but also made it possible to expand other businesses into not merely local entities but regional and national corporations. Distant business offices could now be linked to the central office, allowing a business to cover a much wider range than was ever possible prior to that time. The development of the railroads has been of great importance to historians for this very reason, and how they treat the issue says much about how they view the development of American business in history. All of the historians surveyed considered the development of the railroads as a vital element in the growth of the economy of the United States, though not all of the economic change brought about by railr
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merican business and economic scene (Chandler v).
Yet, Chandler also offers guidance and commentary introducing each of the major concepts covered by groupings of articles, and the topics he sees as important are reflected in the other historians to be discussed below--the development of big business, the pattern of competition, labor relations, and the importance of the railroads in the economic development of the nation.
The primary sources offered by Chandler cover a wide range from newspaper and magazine articles to administrative documents, government publications, Congressional and other reports, and documents from the files of the railroads themselves. The selections do fit the various categories offered and support the generalizations made by Chandler.
The nature of the effect of the railroads on the American economic system is also the subject of Eugene Smolensky, but he begins by suggesting that the railroads may not have had such a major role in initiating economic growth. He indicates that it is natural to think that they did given the various analyses of the subject offered in the past and the economic growth that took place along with the growth and development of the railroads. Actually, Smolensky is not arguin
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Chandler Jr, Actually Smolensky, , Chandler Smolensky, Paul Black, Chandler Chandler, Black Childs, Burlington Railroad, Eugene Smolensky, History Review, development railroads, business history, united economic, american business, primary sources, economic growth, business history review, transportation communication, railroads economic, economic development, history review, united economic growth, railroad commission texas, railroad transportation communication,
Approximate Word count = 2097
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)
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