LP+Historic+impact+of+the+railroad


 * Standard 4. ** Students will understand the diverse ways people make a living in Utah.
 * Objective 3.** Examine aspects that have broadened Utah’s economy.
 * Indicator a.** Examine the railroad’s impact on Utah.


 * Lesson: Historic Impact of the Railroad **


 * Vocabulary:**
 * Transcontinental Railroad
 * Golden spike
 * Union Pacific
 * Central Pacific


 * Essential Questions:**
 * How did the coming of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 change the economy of Utah?
 * What other aspects of life in Utah changed with the coming of the railroad?


 * Instructional Activities:**
 * Partner students up and assign one to represent the Union Pacific and one to represent the Central Pacific. Using computers, complete the simulation found at this website to familiarize them with the transcontinental railroad: []
 * As students are navigating through the simulation, have them write down aspects having to do with economics.
 * As a class, brainstorm and discuss what students think was the economic impact of the wedding of the rails on Utah after May 10, 1869.
 * Create a before/after chart for the economic impact of the railroad, perhaps showing Utah 20 years before the railroad then 20 years after the railroad.
 * An overview can be found here: []
 * Talk about the social impacts of the railroad with new people coming into the state.
 * Have students brainstorm about how different Utah's economy might have been if the railroad had gone around Utah instead of through it.


 * Assessment:**
 * Test Question: What impact did the railroad have on the economy of Utah?


 * Materials / Resources for Teachers:**
 * The Utah Journey pages 147, 174, 182-188, 198-199, 204-206, 232, 272
 * Here is the motherload of all information related to the transcontinental railroad: []
 * Here is a site specific to Utah: []


 * Materials / Resources for Students:**
 * []