Question

What did the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 do?

Answer 1

The Pacific Railway Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on July 1, 1862. This actprovided Federal government support for the building of the first transcontinental railroad, which was completed on May 10, 1869

Answer 2

The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 was a congressional law supporting the construction of a transcontinental railway line across the United States, allowing the issuance of government bonds and the granting of land for the benefit of the railways.

As a side effect, the Pacific Railroad allowed the expansion of the influence of the federal government to the southwestern states of the country.