ESPM 50AC Lecture Notes - Lecture 22: Placer Mining, Hydraulic Mining, Californio

• School: Berkeley
• Department: Environmental Science, Policy, And Management
• Course: ESPM 50AC
• Professor: Worthy Ken

Document Summary

Many towns developed during gold rush supported by chinese commerce. Mercury used to separate gold from gold ore: mercury impacts water supply, mercury very toxic, accumulates, and affects neurological development. Native americans and californios knew about gold before. White discovery is a social construction this is a myth. February 2, 1848: treaty of guadalupe hidalgo. December 1848: president polk confirms discovery to congress. 1849: the rush (1849-52: east coast, mexico, peru, chile, france, china. Increase ca population: 1848 = 14,000, 1852 = 225,000, 95% of migrants = men. Late 19th century: gold rushes in idaho, colorado, south dakota, yukon, alaska, etc. Yeoman farmer: democracy, family, stake in society, mixing labor with soil (intersubjective) Gold miner: no stake in society, using already existing resources and capitalizing (instrumental) California gold mining: technology, capital, labor, & nature. Placer mining: starting 1848-53: work already done rain and snow have dropped gold in river. Hard rock or quartz mining: starting 1860s.