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The Railway line's contribution to the growth of Chicago

Essay Instructions:
For this assignment, you are to focus on the role of the railroad in Chicago's meteoritic 19th century rise from a small frontier outpost to the nation's second most populated city and a sprawling industrial metropolis. Using the given sources, explain how the railroad helped transformed Chicago into an industrial metropolis during the 19th century and how it shaped relationships both within and outisde the city. In order to complete this essya you must do: 1> In the introduction of your paper develop a comprehensive explanation of how the railroad helped transform Chicago from 1848 to 1900. For your thesis you must explain how the railroad spurred Chicago's growth as an industrial metropolis and how it connected the city ot its neighborhoods and hinterland and to the east coast of the US and Europe. 2> Examine at least 3 ways the railroad shapped Chicago. 3> Support your argument with evidence from the given sources. You must draw directly from these sources in your paper and use at least three of them. Do not assume that the sources are correct. Each source is written from a particular perspectie. The best essay will not only use these sources as evidence, but also consider how their authors were trying to shape Chicago through thier writing. Sources: -Jacob Hoke Biedler, Centripetal Chicago, Centralizing Columbia , 1891 -http://www(dot)archive(dot)org/details/centripetalchica00beid . -John Dean Caton, ¡®Tis Sixty Years Since¡¯ in Chicago, The Atlantic Monthly, May 1893, http://bit(dot)ly/zKjQx9 . -Henry C. Johnson, North Chicago: its advantages, resources, and probable future (Chicago: Henry C. Johnson, 1873), http://www(dot)archive(dot)org/details/northchicagoitsa00john . -Ralph Julian, Chicago - The Main Exhibit, Harper¡¯s New Monthly Magazine, February 1892, http://bit(dot)ly/xtdZdQ . -Allan Pinkerton, Strikers, communists, tramps and detectives. (New York: G.W. Carleton, 1878), http://go(dot)utlib(dot)ca/cat/788773 . (pages 387-398). -The Railroads of Chicago (Chicago: Western News Company, 1872), http://www(dot)archive(dot)org/details/railroadsofchica00lawr . Extra info: -To cite the sources listed above you do not need to include a full citation. Use a parenthetical citation with the author's name and page number. Please Please Please do not put me a trouble of plagiarism. I have to submit this paper via "turnitin.ca" the site which our school uses to detect any possible plagiarism. If you have any questions about the essay, email me!
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The Railway line`s contribution to the growth of Chicago
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Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Thesis statement PAGEREF _Toc316566801 \h 3Impacts of the introduction of the railway line on Chicago PAGEREF _Toc316566802 \h 4Increased trade with distant lands PAGEREF _Toc316566803 \h 4Industries that benefitted from the introduction of the railway line PAGEREF _Toc316566804 \h 5Increased job opportunities PAGEREF _Toc316566805 \h 6The impact of the railroad on communication in Chicago PAGEREF _Toc316566806 \h 7Challenges that were brought about by the introduction of the railway PAGEREF _Toc316566807 \h 7Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc316566808 \h 8Bibliography PAGEREF _Toc316566809 \h 8
Contribution of the railway-line to the growth of Chicago
Thesis statement
The introduction of the railway line to Chicago`s transport system greatly boosted the economic activities of this region. This was as a result of the additional accessibility that was brought about by the railroads. Chicago grew rapidly because the trains enabled it to thrive in a commercial sense because trade with distant states was now a possibility. The commodities that Chicago had in surplus could be sold more easily and in exchange what lacked could also be easily acquired.
Meticulous planning of the railroad network had to be done for Chicago to transform from a post-civil war settlement into an Industrial powerhouse. This railway network connected Chicago to the rest of the Union States northwards, westwards and southwards as well. This intricate railway system was a Behemoth compared to the rest of the combined System of America at the time. In perspective, it contained a sixth of the country`s total railroads and a quarter of the larger railroad system converged in Chicago. In total 35 railway lines entered this cityCITATION Jul92 \p 429 \l 1033 (Julian 1892, 429).
The Eastern railroads were particularly productive and for this reason, the railroad companies decided it was best to introduce double railing on some railroads. For trade with Europe, some rails converged at the Atlantic coast`s sea port.
A combination of a railway system which was the envy of the nation, the tenacious nature of its inhabitants and an abundance of natural resources contributed heavily to the rapid growth of Chicago into the nation`s second most populous city as well as an industrial marvel. Between Michigan and Buffalo, three railroads benefitted from the introduction of additional railway lines also known as double tracking. They included Michigan Central, Michigan Southern and Lakeshore routes. CITATION FSt \l 1033 (Storey n.d.)
Impacts of the introduction of the railway line on Chicago
Increased trade with distant lands
Prior to the construction of the railway line in the days when Chicago was a little more than a small frontier outpost. The primary means of transport for long-distance journeys was the use of ox-drawn wheel vehicles. The economy of Chicago at this time was almost entirely agricultural in nature. Traders made use of common roads but the farmers` produce was still difficult to access. Often, the farm produce had to be taken to the closest markets CITATION Joh93 \l 1033 (Canton 1893). They used to hook up their carts to teams of oxen then guide them on the roads. The disadvantage of this was that the distances to which people could travel from Chicago was greatly limited. The current means they had was inappropriate for both perishable commodities and heavy/bulky goods that were to flow both inward and outwards.
The introduction of the railway line however brought with it good tidings for the commercial prospects of the residents of Chicago. Other than having access to distant markets, the ‘Chicagoans` also had an opportunity to acquire commodities they needed more easily than ever before.
The magnitude of intra-state business that took place from Chicago was characterized by the high level of aptitude the local business people had regarding affairs taking place in other regions in the country. This was a peculiar attribute to Chicago as businessmen in New York were comparatively less knowledgeable about such affairs. This in turn suggested that New York`s Traders were less travelled despite their City being more populous and endowed financially CITATION Joh93 \p 429 \l 1033 (Canton 1893, 429).
The main districts which they traded with were from the West, the North as well as the South. In their trade they transacted farm produce...
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