KEY TERMS Key Terms and People to Know for the Regents Exam
Transcontinental Railroad
This railroad connected the Eastern US with the West Coast and made trade and transportation much easier. The railroad was built on free land given to railroad companies by the federal government. Many immigrants (especially Chinese) helped build the railroad.
Homestead Act
To encourage the settlement of the Great Plains and the western territories, the government gave free land to settlers who moved west and developed the land. As more settlers came, conflicts began with Native Americans who were forced off of their land.