Question

Which of the following subsidies did Leland Stanford and Thomas Durant receive to build the Transcontinental Railroad?

A) 64,000 acres of land
B) 48000 dollars in bonds per mile of track
C) 4,000,000 dollars
D) Both a and b

Answer 1

The correct answer is D.

Both of these gentlemen received 64,000 acres of land and $48,000 dollars in bonds per mile of track. The reason why the government provided these subsidies was because the construction of this transcontinental railroad would revolutionize the way people/goods moved throughout the US. This would allow business/individuals from all over the country to interact and trade much easier than ever before. The railroad would also allow citizens from the east to move and settle into western territories recently gained by the United States.