1. Chapter 18 Section 1 Mining Booms

2. PIKE’S PEAK or BUST Colorado Rockies in 1858

3. 1858 servants made less than $1.00 a day Foreign investors $20.00 a day panning for gold underground lodes – rich streaks between layers of rock

4. Comstock Lode A rich lode of silver- bearing ore on the banks of the Carson River in Nevada. Henry Comstock

5. Carson River, Nevada

6. Henry Comstock owned the land Henry sold it for $11,000 & 2 mules Worth hundreds of millions in gold/silver Mining companies purchased the land Henry Comstock owned the land Henry sold it for $11,000 & 2 mules Worth hundreds of millions in gold/silver Mining companies purchased the land

7. Mining Booms Boomtowns Towns that grew up overnight around mining sites. Boomtowns Towns that grew up overnight around mining sites.

8. BOOMTOWNS: Built around mining areas Wild and lawless Vigilante groups ruled Few women and children “busted” when all ore had been mined ( 30,000 to 4,000 inhabitants) ghost towns BOOMTOWNS: Built around mining areas Wild and lawless Vigilante groups ruled Few women and children “busted” when all ore had been mined ( 30,000 to 4,000 inhabitants) ghost towns

9. Life of a miner *vigilantes ruled the towns *lived in boomtowns that were filled with violence (stealing and cheating were common) *Worked from daylight until dark *extravagant living and gambling (food, lodging, clothing) *fortunate miners - $2,000 a year *Women – sewed, cooked, entertained, started schools, churches, businesses - brought stability

10. lead copper zinc Other metals found

11. Government & the Railroads subsidies Rail networks wanted free land Towns offered cash subsidies 20 – 80 miles wide of land 130 mill. acres

12. TranscontinentalTranscontinental Railroad Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California

13. Union Pacific – 1,038 miles Central Pacific – 742 miles

14. Central Pacific 10,000 Chinese Union Pacific African Americans Irish Railroad Workers

15. Promontory Point in Utah Territory on May 10, 1869

16. Effects of the Transcontinental Railway Brought thousands of workers to the west Time Zones 1883 – U.S. divided into 4 zones Coal production, RR manufactures, construction companies grew Towns sprang up along the rail lines