American West Lesson 3

Name 4 things that have happened to old mining towns in the West.

Mining towns have become ghost towns, tourist, towns, ski resorts, and important western cities.

Name 3 consequences of the California Gold Rush.

1. The city of San Francisco was built. 2. California became a state, fulfilling dreams of those who believed in Manifest Destiny. 3. the gold from California began to fund building of Eastern business and industries.

What are some of the current dangers associated with mining in the West? Name 2.

1. the danger of falling in an open shaft, or getting lost in a mine. 2. Chemical and biological dangers that come from the old mine tailings and areas where the ore was processed. 3. Land and sometimes rivers, lakes, and streams are still contaminated by the mining that was done there in the past.

The wealth from Nevada and Colorado did what in the United States?

Financed the rapid industrial growth of the United States in the 1870s and 1880s.

Name 4 types of minerals that are still being actively mined in the West.

Gold, silver, zinc, lead, copper, tungsten, tin, uranium, oil, and oil shale.

What were the most common types of mining used in the American West?

Hard rock - used tunnels to follow veins of precious metals. Soft rock - used tunnels or strip mining to remove materials like coal. Open pit or strip mining - removed all material above precious metals to get to the metals.

What is a difference between 'hard-rock' and 'soft-rock' mining?

Hard-rock mining was done to remove minerals like gold, silver, and lead. Soft-rock mining was done to remove materials like coal. Hard-rock miners used wooden beams to support the roofs; often soft-rock miners used the material itself to support the roof.

What was the role of prospector in the mining process?

He found the precious metals by searching geologic formations. He was known for exploring the West in his search for ore.

Describe how gold was first discovered in California.

Men building a millrace for John Sutter found gold on the stream bed of the Sacramento River.

Why aren't there new rushes to rich mining areas?

Mining today involves a lot of technology so companies that are involved in developing mineral resources have to have a lot of capital. The land of the West is also all claimed, so any mineral resources belong to some that has to be paid before exploration can be done.

How did the 49ers get to California?

Most common route was the Oregon Trail and one of the California cutoffs. Other 49ers sailed around the tip of South America, or took the shortcut through Panama or Nicaragua.

What 2 areas experienced rushes i 1859?

The Comstock Lode in Nevada and the Front Range of the Rockies in Colorado.

What group of people were consistently the most successful in the gold fields?

The store owners.

Name 3 problems that the mine owners had to solve on the Comstock Lode.

The water pressure on the deep tunnels, mud, and heat.