The single most important institution in California from 1862-1920 was the railroad. It fostered agricultural development as wel
l as industrial innovation. The railroad encouraged population growth, and its very presence ended California’s long isolation from the East Coast. The building of the railroad was the most felicitous event in the history of California! Do you agree or disagree with this statement? In an extended discussion, please analyze the impact the railroad had on the state of California. You will want to consider the economic, social and political consequences of building the railroad. Was it a felicitous event?
In the 1920s and 1930s, the oil, agriculture, and entertainment industries attracted millions of people to southern California, which overtook northern California as the economic engine of the thriving state
