The Wild West
Short History Of...
00:00
The Transcontinental Railway
In 1862, Congress passes the Homestead Act allowing settlers to claim 160 acres of land in largely unsettled territories. By 1870, almost 500,000 migrants have moved west. As well as bringing white settlers, trains carry payroll money and gold from the mines. On July 21, 1873, embittered civil war fighter Jesse James mixed history with his gang of outlaws when they targeted a train carrying $75,000 worth of gold. It's the first time a moving train has been targeted by robbers, but it won't be the last.
Play episode from 14:33
Transcript
