How did railroads encourage settlement westward?

Answer 1

Railroads contributed to the development of the west by making travel easier and more comfortable. People were more willing to travel to the west, which helped the population and economy grow.

Answer 2

- 1850-1871 --> government gave huge land grants to railroads.

- 10 extra miles for every one mile of track laid out.

-1869 railroads were done and sold extra land to farmers from $1 to $10

- homesteaders settled on free land.

-cattlemen fenced and claimed land. miners and woodcutters claimed Natural Resources.

- 1889 was a major land give away in Oklahoma, which was named the sooner state.

Answer 3

Not only would they profit from selling their huge land reserves to settlers, but a successful agricultural economy would produce crops to be shipped east and demand to manufacture goods would be shipped west on their lines.