They raised money so that they could build a powerful army. Trade made them wealthy because of taxes, and the taxes helped pay for armies
Life would have been different without the locomotive because you could not travel to far places quickly and efficiently. To get there you might have to walk, but you could be kidnapped, robbed, or catch a sickness. With the locomotive, you could get to places such as California safer and quicker.
The different branches of the government help limit the power of the federal government because there are checks and balances with each branch and if one branch doesn't quite agree with the executive branch then the two other branches can overrule the president's power.
