The Pacific Railway Act of 1862

The Pacific Railway Act of 1862 was a law enacted by the U.S. government to facilitate the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. It granted generous land rights and government bonds to railway companies, primarily the Central Pacific and Union Pacific, to build a rail line connecting the eastern U.S. to California. This infrastructure project aimed to improve transportation, promote settlement of the western frontier, and unify the nation economically. The act was crucial in shaping America's expansion and technological progress in the 19th century.