President Roosevelt was born during the Industrial Revolution where everything from the workforce to travel is transitioning from manual to mechanical. Railroads were the epitome result of Industrial Revolution. It erased the separation of countries due to its distances, paving way for new commerce. It made towns along the railway thrive. However, it also meant that those who had the control of the railway system can have the control of the land. Roosevelt was instrumental in stopping wealthy railroad owners from taking control of the American West when he implemented the Sherman Anti-Trust Law.
Generally speaking, from the 1830s on, people hoping to settle in the Northwest "B-traveled along the Oregon Trail," since this had become a well-established route.
