Teacher's Notes

Theme:
In the 19th century, huge investments were made in transportation improvements in the United States.

Sub-theme:
The entire nation benefitted from the building of the railroads, but large Federal land grants enabled some to gain tremendous profits.

Concepts:

• land speculation
• land grants
• subsidies
• corporations
• internal improvements
• alternate sections

Performance objectives -- this lesson focuses on developing skills at:

• Comparing opposing views on the issue of land grants
• Analyzing an advertisement encouraging settlement in the West
• Summarizing opinions about railroad land promotion in a short essay

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