How did the federal and state governments encourage railroad building in the nineteenth century?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both the federal and state governments granted public lands to private companies to encourage the building of railroads in the nineteenth century. They also provided loans and tax exemptions to the railroad companies, but did not operate or bail out failing companies with federal funds. Eminent domain was sometimes used to secure land for railroad construction, but it was not a specific form of encouragement.

How Did the Federal and State Governments Encourage Railroad Building