Role of railroads in changing southern society

Railroads were a huge part of the changing southern society. The South post Reconstruction had a difficult time modernizing and industrializing like the North. The South was still very much an agrarian economy, but the introduction of railroads changed this and allowed it to be more industrialized. Land was used to build railroads, which displeased many of the farmers. However, the railroads allowed for cattle raised in the South to be transported to meat packing industries. As a result, new industries developed and opportunities to industrialized soon opened up for the southern people.