Fictional sample · Grade 11 (AP® U.S. History)
Evaluate the extent to which railroads changed the economy of the United States between 1830 and 1870. (Example prompt written by EasyClass. The seven documents are short summaries we wrote for this example: Doc 1, a table showing U.S. railroad mileage rising from a few dozen miles in 1830 to about 30,000 miles by 1860; Doc 2, a Chicago grain merchant's letter about wheat arriving by rail instead of canal; Doc 3, a railroad company advertisement selling bonds; Doc 4, a farmer's complaint to a newspaper about high freight rates; Doc 5, a southern planter's diary entry saying his cotton still travels by river; Doc 6, an engraving of a busy rail depot in an eastern city; Doc 7, a congressman's speech in favor of land grants for a transcontinental line.)
Before 1830, most goods in the United States moved by river, road or canal, and the Erie Canal had already made New York the main gateway between the Great Lakes and the coast. Turnpikes and steamboats were speeding up trade, but goods still moved slowly in winter and many inland farms could only sell locally. Between 1830 and 1870, railroads greatly changed the economy of the North and West by connecting farms to city markets and helping industry grow, but they changed the South much less, which kept relying on rivers for cotton.
First, railroads connected western farms to eastern cities. Document 1 shows that railroad mileage grew from almost nothing in 1830 to about 30,000 miles by 1860. This growth meant farmers could ship crops much farther. In Document 2, a Chicago merchant says wheat now comes in by rail instead of canal, which shows that Chicago was becoming a rail hub for farm goods. Document 6 shows a crowded depot in an eastern city, so goods and people were flowing between regions.
Second, railroads helped business grow but also created conflict. Document 3 is an advertisement selling railroad bonds, which shows that railroads needed huge amounts of money from investors. Document 4 shows a farmer who is angry about freight rates, so not everyone benefited. Farmers felt that railroad companies had too much power over prices. Document 7 shows that the government also supported railroads with land grants.
However, the South did not change as much. Document 5 shows a planter who still ships cotton by river. The South built fewer railroads than the North, and this made it harder for the Confederacy later.
In conclusion, railroads changed the economy a great deal in the North and West, but less in the South.
