Collections Grade 11 Guiding Questions Collection 4

“Building the Transcontinental Railroad” by Iris Chang

Read the history writing “Building the Transcontinental Railroad” by Iris Chang. Then, reread the lines indicated with each question below. Answer each question, citing text evidence.

1. Lines 1–10: What are two statements of time in the opening paragraph of the selection? What historical information in the paragraph also provides chronological clues to readers who know the history?

write a five paragraph essay, you were taught to have three body paragraphs. a university essay is more flexible than that, depending on its length and on what it is trying to say. a short university essay may have three body paragraphs, but it may have more.

the third paragraph is your answer,

"but, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. the brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. it is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. it is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us— that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under god, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. "