Chinese Americans in the California Gold Rush
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The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) was a period of American history in which the most amount of gold seen at the time was discovered. The initial discovery of gold in America in 1848 attracted many immigrants who were intent on the opportunity and potential wealth that came with gold mining. Typically the people that came to America were from the British Isles and the Asia-Pacific region.[1] These foreign miners initially worked in small-scale operations using placer deposits found along streams. As mining technology developed over time and placer deposits slowly depleted mining became corporate, paving the way for quartz mining to take the forefront of Gold production.
The goldfields in California were in the public domain, so miners were operating on federal land. However, Congress passed no legislation regulating property rights for miners until 1866. Miners could hold their own assemblies and pass rules surrounding claims, this technicality paved the way for miners to operate on a claims system.[2] Chinese immigrants participated in every facet of gold production in the later years of the Gold Rush. Within the claims system that grew in popularity, Chinese immigrants were contracted to find gold from 1849–1850. In the first three years of the Gold Rush, Chinese impact was minimal and most were driven out of the country by white Americans threatening violence. However, starting in 1852 the Chinese population in the American West spiked and Chinese Gold miners made up 25% of miners at their highest and their impact was felt across California.[3]