MINING

Miners traveled hundreds of miles to uncharted territory during Westward Expansion, for reasons similar to other groups.

CHINESE MINERS

• Chinese were already working across the globe
• This was due to the aftermath of the Opium Wars, and various other disasters
• The first Chinese came to San Francisco in 1848, and many others (several illiterate) came dreaming
• Merchant Vessels often came with stories about Gam Saan, or the Golden Mountain
• Many believed that they would become rich

What Do You Notice?

1/5 of the Population

• Chinese Miners lived in groups, away from whites
• When a crop failure struck China, over 20,000 Chinese moved to the U.S.
• By the end of the 1850s, Chinese made up 1/5 of the population Southern Mines.

Work

• Chinese Men often worked as miners, and a few even were successful
• The majority, however, worked extremely hard in brutal conditions, and barely made any money
• Chinese Women sometimes set up shops, and by doing so, created the first Chinatown, along with the community

Racism and Prejudice

• Chinese were considered different and lower class than Whites
• Many hated the Chinese, and they were treated poorly
• In May 1852, even the Government imposed a $3/month tax on non-American Miners, a huge toll for Chinese
• Chinese Miners were even murdered and robbed at Rich Gulf.
• Miner Alfred Doten accusingly blamed the Chinese for breaking into his camp

Not Allowed to Testify

• In 1854, the court extended the California law that African Americans and Native Americans could not testify in court to include the Chinese.

Impact

• By 1870 there were 63,000 Chinese in U.S. 77% of whom were in California.
• In 1882, Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act, the only American law to specifically bar one group from immigrating to the United States
• That year, Chinese miners contributed more than $5 million to state's revenue through the Foreign Miners Tax, almost one quarter of state's revenue.

Questions

James Wilson Marshall

JAMES MARSHALL:

• Although he never became rich, James Marshall will always be related the California gold rush.
• He started the Gold Rush with his discovery of gold along the American River in northern California.

Discovery!

• Forced by financial necessity to sell his ranch, Marshall formed a partnership with John Sutter to construct a sawmill along the American River.
• On January 24, 1848, while checking on the mill, Marshall looked down through the clear water and saw gold.

Misfortune

• Ironically, the Gold Rush actually harmed Marshall
• He could not secure legal or practical claims in the gold fields, and men flocked there to strike it rich!
• And so began the Gold Rush...

Questions