What part did railroads play in western settlement in the late 1800s? #1: railroads played almost no part. #2: they carried millions of settlers westward. #3: the reduced competition for land. #4: they provided jobs and transported goods.
The best option regarding the role railroads played in western settlement in the late 1800s would be that "they carried millions of settlers westward," since before the railroad travel took a significant amount of time and was far more costly and dangerous.
