Today, May 10th, is Golden Spike Day. On this day in 1869, a gold spike was driven into the ground indicating the completion of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States. Show The Transcontinental Railroad was a 1,911-mile continuous railroad line that linked the United States from east to west. Two organizations, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroad companies completed the job which connected the two rail lines at Promontory Summit, Utah. Many historical experts believe the successful construction of the transcontinental railroad would not have been possible had it not been for Chinese immigrants. “Without them, it would have been impossible to complete the Western portion of this great national enterprise, within the time required by the Acts of Congress,” said former California Governor, Leland Stanford back in 1865. From 1863 to 1869, roughly 15,000 Chinese workers labored to build the railroad. Most were employed by the Central Pacific Railroad and constructed over 700 miles of train tracks from Sacramento, California to Promontory Summit. (Mostly Irish immigrants built the track from the East coast on behalf of the Union Pacific Railroad.) Charles Crocker, Director of the Central Pacific Railroad began hiring the Chinese immigrants due to a labor shortage. “White workers, whom the company wanted, did not sign on in numbers anything close to what was needed,” says Stanford University History Professor, Gordon Chang. The railroad really had no other choice, as “White workers were reluctant to do such backbreaking and hazardous work,” says Chang. Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad was done entirely by manual labor using rudimentary hand tools like picks and shovels. It’s been documented that each Chinese worker would shovel about 20 pounds of rock over 400 times per day. They faced dangerous working conditions including accidental explosions, rock avalanches, and both frigid and scorching temperatures, depending on the time of year. It’s estimated that 1200 Chinese workers died during the multi-year construction project. In addition to dangerous working conditions, the Chinese workers also faced discrimination and racism. They were only paid $26 a month, working six days per week. Their wages were about 30-50% less than their White counterparts. They were also forced to sleep in tents and pay for their own meals, while their colleagues were able to sleep in railcars and had their meals provided by the railroad company. Still the Chinese workers persevered to help complete one of the most monumental transportation infrastructure projects in the United States. The work performed by the Chinese was so effective they were actively recruited to help build additional rail projects within the US and China. Chinese Americans and other Asian and Pacific Island groups have contributed greatly to the building of our nation. And it’s one of the reasons why Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is celebrated in May is because it coincides with Golden Spike Day. Happy AAPI Heritage Month! It's been over 5 weeks since the Idaho student killings. Victim's father shares why he's still hopeful 01:26 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Afghan women protest Taliban's decision to suspend their right to higher education 02:24 Now playing - Source: CNNVideo Ad Feedback Satellite images reveal changes at key Russian military bases in the Arctic 03:29 Now playing - Source: CNNVideo Ad Feedback Exclusive: Trump lawyer allegedly urged WH aide to mislead Jan. 6 cmte 01:37 Now playing - Source: CNNVideo Ad Feedback Retired colonel predicts how Putin will respond to Zelensky's White House visit 02:11 Now playing - Source: CNNVideo Ad Feedback China reports few Covid deaths since easing restrictions. What CNN sees tells a different story 03:06 Now playing - Source: CNNVideo Ad Feedback CNN finds GOP congressman-elect possibly fabricated his resume 02:30 Now playing - Source: CNNVideo Ad Feedback Hear GOP senator's response to McCarthy's threat over spending bill 01:46 Now playing - Source: CNNVideo Ad Feedback 'I'm afraid of them sending me back': Hear from a mom and daughter waiting for Title 42 decision at southern border 01:56 Now playing - Source: CNNSee More Videos
CNN — Before highways, planes, trains and automobiles made crossing the United States a breeze, the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869 was a defining moment in the country’s history – and immigrant labor made it possible. Thousands of workers from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds labored in grueling terrain and conditions to connect the Atlantic and Pacific. Most of them were Chinese workers who were paid less for their labor than their European counterparts. Chinese migrants worked in the Sierra foothills for the Central Pacific Railroad. Underwood Archives/REX/ShutterstockFor years, railroad workers were largely overlooked in memorial events marking the railroad’s completion. This year, however, their contributions and descendents are more visible than ever in 150th anniversary celebrations. Friday marked the sesquicentennial of the Golden Spike Ceremony on May 10, 1869, in what was then Utah Territory where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads were joined. The "Champagne Photo" is among the most memorable images from the Golden Spike Ceremony. National Park Service“The Transcontinental Railroad was a tremendous feat of engineering, innovation and manpower that was key to unleashing the economic prosperity of the United States for generations,” US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, whose parents are of Chinese descent, said Friday in a reenactment of the ceremony at Golden Spike National Historic Park in Promontory, Utah. In addition to Chinese workers and Latter-Day Saints who worked for Central Pacific, Irish immigrants fleeing famine and newly freed slaves laid track across the Great Plains for the Union Pacific Railroad. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao champions railroad workers at the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike Ceremony on May 10. George Frey/Getty ImagesThe anniversary was an occasion to commemorate “the contribution and sacrifices of the railroad workers,” including the estimated 12,000-15,000 Chinese laborers “who risked everything to make the Transcontinental Railroad a reality,” Chao said. Before the transatlantic railroad, train travel was available from points east to as far as St. Louis, Missouri. Anything west of the Mississippi River required travel by wagon, a trip that could take anywhere from three to six months. After the railroad was built, it took about seven days and as little as $65 to ride from New York to San Francisco. When California’s gold fields lured men away from railroad work, Central Pacific started hiring Chinese workers. “These workers of Chinese ancestry blasted and chiseled their way through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains, using manual hammer drills, pick axes and explosives. They dug 15 tunnels through pure hard granite,” Chao said. Irish immigrants, freed slaves and Mormons also worked on the transcontinental railroad. National Park Service“Snow fell so deeply that they had to build roofs over 37 miles of track so supply trains could make it through. The conditions were merciless, dangerous and harsh.” Yet, even after the Chinese workers reached wage parity, they still had to pay for their own housing, clothes and food, unlike other workers. Chinese workers are said to have laid the last rails to complete the line at the Golden Spike Ceremony before dignitaries tapped four precious metal spikes into a polished tie made from California Laurelwood. The tie bore a silver plaque that included the officers and directors of Central Pacific along with the names of the tie maker and the donor. The spikes were symbols of the “elites” who presided over the ceremony,” Stanford University history professor Gordon Chang said. The 119 steam engine appears in the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike Ceremony on May 10. George Frey/Getty ImagesThey directed attention “to the business people, political people who were prominent at the time,” Chang told the Salt Lake Tribune. “And they forget about the people who actually did the work on the Central Pacific — the Chinese.” This year, however, the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association and other cultural groups championed visibility of railroad workers in events and official celebrations throughout the week. Chinese workers were included for the first time in the annual reenactment of the driving of the Golden Spike. A lion dance was performed at the start of the Golden Spike Ceremony. What ethnic groups worked on the Union Pacific Railroad?The Union Pacific's work force included Irish immigrants, former soldiers from the North and the South, convicts from eastern prisons, as well as Mormons living near the railroad route in Utah Territory.
Who made up 80% of the workers on the transcontinental railroad?It took the construction crews, comprised of 80% to 90% Chinese laborers, fifteen months to drill and blast through 1,659 feet of rock to complete the Summit Tunnel at Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Which two immigrant groups were responsible for building the transcontinental railroad?Beginning in 1863, the Union Pacific, employing more than 8,000 Irish, German, and Italian immigrants, built west from Omaha, Nebraska; the Central Pacific, whose workforce included over 10,000 Chinese laborers, built eastward from Sacramento, California.
What did the majority of workers on the transcontinental railroad have in common?What did the majority of workers on the Transcontinental Railroad have in common? A rise in the value of money. What effect did coal have on the Industrial Revolution?
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