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Mining and Railroading

Mining and Railroading. Gold and Silver Boom, Problems with Mining, the Railroad. A Boom in Gold and Silver. 1849 – Gold discovered in California 1859 – Gold and silver discovered in the Sierra Nevada's Comstock Lode – Henry Comstock claimed a mine loaded with silver

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Mining and Railroading

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  1. Mining and Railroading Gold and Silver Boom, Problems with Mining, the Railroad

  2. A Boom in Gold and Silver • 1849 – Gold discovered in California • 1859 – Gold and silver discovered in the Sierra Nevada's • Comstock Lode – Henry Comstock claimed a mine loaded with silver • Lode – rich vein of gold or silver • 1870 – Gold discovered in the Black Hills in South Dakota • 1890 – Gold discovered in Alaska

  3. Boomtowns to Ghost Towns • Boomtowns – Towns that sprung up due to a discovery of gold or silver • Ex. Virginia City, Nevada • Process • Miners  Traders and Merchants  Hotels and Restaurants • Women – ran boardinghouses, laundries, or restaurants • Ghost Town – After the gold and silver was gone, people left the area

  4. Problems Along the Mining Frontier • Pollution of Streams • Deforestation • Pushing out Native Americans • Ex: Sioux from the Black Hills • Discrimination • Ex: Mexicans and Chinese were taxed or forced to work on others claims • Large companies took over • Lawlessness • Vigilantes ruled

  5. The Railroads • 1863 – race to build the first transcontinental railroad – stretches across continent from coast to coast • Union Pacific – built west • Central Pacific – built east • Federal Government – gave subsidies (financial aid or land grant) to help spur the economy • Combined both railroad companies received 45 acres of land

  6. Working on the Railroad • Labor was scarce during the Civil War • Used immigrants to build the railroad • Central – used Chinese • Union – used Irish • Both sides used Mexicans and African Americans • Central Pacific had to cut a path through the Sierra Nevada Mountains • Union Pacific had to cut through the Rockies

  7. Promontory Point

  8. Railroads Promote Growth • The two railroads met at Promontory Point, UT on May 10, 1869 • Gave the country the hope of feeling united • Enabled people, supplies, and mail to go quickly • Towns and Cities developed at railroad points • Ex: Seattle, San Francisco • New territories applied for statehood • Nevada (1864), Colorado (1876), North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington (1889), Idaho and Wyoming (1890)

  9. Activity • Imagine you are a railroad official in 1869. Write a short speech (2 paragraphs) to celebrate the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. In your speech, explain how you think the railroad will benefit the nation.

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