The new land and or "the new world"
Railroads encouraged settlement in the west because they opened up economic opportunities in the west. Through the railroad, products from west coast could be transported back to the East and vice-versa and thereby opening up the markets of the west and also Asia to the East.
To exploit the new business opportunities, people began to move and settle in the west. Within 10 years of its completion, the railroad shipped $50 million worth of freight coast to coast every year. It ensured a production boom and was America's first technology corridor
The British had claimed all the land from the Atlantic to the pacific However, since the Appalachians acted as a barrier, the British had no easy access to the Ohio valley. On the other hand the French had <span>waterway access to the Ohio valley, making it easier to settle there.</span>
