In the days of old, long ago,
A war was fought, a tale to know,
A nation divided, with pain and strife,
And many lost their precious life.

In the midst of this great divide,
A railroad was built, far and wide,
Steel drivers worked to lay the track,
And drill bits broke the rocky pack.

A mighty locomotive, strong and true,
Would soon come chugging into view,
With a lever pulled, the wheels would turn,
And the train would roll, with steam to burn.

But the work was hard, and the hours were long,
And many a man would sing a sad song,
For slaves were hired to build the rail,
And they toiled under the sun's hot veil.

But still they worked, with sweat on their brow,
Till the day the railroad was finished, wow!
And the locomotive roared down the line,
A triumph for all, a sight divine.

And so we remember, the fire and steel,
The men who built, with nerves of steel,
And we honor those, who did their part,
In the great story, of a nation's heart.

Reflections

Here are a few questions to ask kids to think about the story:

1. What was the Civil War, and how did it impact the construction of the railroad?
2. What were some of the tools and techniques used to build the railroad, and why were they important?
3. How do you think the people who were hired to build the railroad felt about their work, and why?
4. What was the role of the locomotive in the story, and why was it so important?
5. What do you think were some of the biggest challenges faced by the workers who built the railroad, and how were they overcome?
6. How does the story of the railroad fit into the broader history of the United States, and why is it important to remember?