14-2 Critical Thinking

The government seemed to support railroad companies in whatever ways it could. It gave land and made loans to the companies. Railroads were being encouraged to use the land and money so that they could grow. The loans and land grants were good investments, because the growth of the railroads meant the growth of the country.
Railroads were a large part of industry at the time, mostly because of westward expansion. Tracks were laid in the western frontier, effectively linking the sections of the United States together. This simplified trade and transportation across the country, helping the economy. Railroads became particularly important to farmers who needed to transport their goods to sell them.
In addition to laying track, the companies would sell some of their left over land. It was sometimes sold to settlers, and sometimes to other companies. Some of the railroad companies would send agents to Europe to see if anyone would be interested in buying the land. The government did not exactly care if the land went to settlers, immigrants or companies; as long as it was sold the country and its economy would grow.
The government was eager to promote the growth of railroads because it wanted to promote westward expansion. The railroads were important to the frontier so the government gave them a lot of power over it. In the end, everyone got something out of the deals. The government succeeded in settling the west, the railroad companies became immensely successful and wealthy, and settlers and immigrants got land the the frontier.