Pacific Railway Act (1862)
Definition
The Pacific Railway Act was a series of acts passed by Congress to promote the construction of a transcontinental railroad in the United States through issuing government bonds and land grants.
Related terms
Transcontinental Railroad: A train route across the United States, completed in 1869. It was the project promoted by the Pacific Railway Act.
Homestead Act (1862): An act that provided free land in the West to anyone willing to settle there and develop it. This encouraged westward migration along with the development of railroads.
Land Grant: A grant of public land, especially to an institution, organization or to particular groups of people such as war veterans.
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Additional resources (1)
AP US History - 6.1 Context of Industrialization and the Gilded Age
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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.