The California Gold Rush Essay Example for Free

The California Gold Rush Essay Before the Gold Rush of 1849, California was a sparsely populated, unimportant territory of the United States mostly inhabited by the people of Mexico. However, that all changed when on January 24, 1848; carpenter and small time sawmill operator James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget in the American River that would forever change the history of California and America1. Not only did the Gold Rush lead to California’s admittance into the Union in 1850, it also rekindled the idea of the American Dream. Hundred’s of thousands of people poured into the state by the lure of quick and infinite riches. As a result of the Gold Rush, California eventually became an advanced technologic, and agrarian state, which would help pave the roads to urban development and a very capitalistic economy. The California Gold Rush jump-started the development of California as a state, and ignited the belief of the American Dream once again. In a year’s time of the discovery of gold in the American River, the provincial Gold Rush of 1848 transformed into the global Gold Rush of 1849 making national headlines across the world. Historian Hubert Howe Bancroft best described the Gold Rush as; â€Å"a rapid, monstrous maturity† which propelled the population so progressively that on September 9th, 1850 California became the thirty-first state admitted into the Union2. By the year 1851, over 255,000 people had immigrated to the Golden State spurred on by the hopes of finding gold and achieving the American Dream3. From these hundreds of thousands of aliens that flocked to California during the Gold Rush most were young men eager to risk their lives venturing to the Mother Lode in hopes of becoming miners and starting a new life. These men, called the â€Å"49ers†, would play a vital role in the transformation of the state, as they would soon become the pillar for the powerful mining economy in California4. In addition, the ban of slavery in California opened up a window of opportunity to those from other continents. Soon ships from Asia, Australia, Europe and South America were left stranded in the San Francisco Bay as everyone sought to achieve their own version of the American Dream in the Gold Rush as well. In the early stages of California’s state hood, gold mining was the keystone of the Californian economy. Originally, many gold miners who came to California were apart of larger mining companies that at first brought organization to the gold fields5. Nonetheless, as the pressure to find gold mounted each day with the number of people coming to California increasing, it soon became every man for himself; and as a result many of these organizations failed. However, the mining process was complex, required lots of man power, and as gold was becoming harder and harder to find; the introduction to certain technological advances revitalized the Gold Rush and California as a state. The introduction of Hydraulic mining by French Canadian, Anton Chabot in 1850 and later perfected by Edward Matteson a 49er from Connecticut, had everlasting effects on the mining industry as well as the environment6. By damming river and streams miners were now able to use the newly created waterbeds for their industrial hoses, which would spray water furiously onto the riverbanks eroding the ground until gold was spotted7. As a result of Hydraulic mining, mining organizations became powerful again and a sense of unity and prosperity was restored to the gold fields. The Gold Rush also started a new market for technology as now more people stopped mining, and thought of other ways they could make a living. Worker unions began to form, as mining companies needed laborers to maintain and manufacture new machines as wells as divert and dam rivers8. However, not everyone made their fortune in the mining industry. In 1853 Levi Strauss, a German immigrant came to California with aspirations of striking it rich in the gold fields. After a year of no luck, Levi and his family decided to open a general goods store in San Francisco that would sell dry goods and clothing to the miners. His store was a hit, as miners poured in to buy tents and other necessities for mining. One item in particular, denim pants known today as â€Å"jeans† sold like wild fire amongst the 49ers, as they were durable and did not rip. By the end of the Gold Rush, nearly 594 $ million in gold ingots (estimated around 10 $ billion in 2001 dollars) would be shipped out from California towards the east coast alone9. Not only did the Gold Rush create a prosperous mining climate, it also indirectly lead to an even more booming agrarian economy; that in 1869 surpassed mining in employment and then later in 1879 became the leading element to the California economy10. By the late 1870’s, there was nearly 600,000 thousand people living in the Golden State11. In order to feed so many mouths so quick, many people that could not make it as a miner or in the now blooming cities decided to settle on plots of land and become farmers. Most preferred the farming lifestyle opposed to a miner’s life because it was safer. In addition, due to California’s vast natural resources, fertile abundant land and great weather, growing food and raising livestock was easy compared to the eastern United States and other parts of the world. The Gold Rush also permitted the cattle industry to once again flourish in the west as a cattle boom from the north was guided to California for sale to the miners12. Soon afterwards, cattle ranches were set up in Southern California and provided an economic boost to the rest of the state13. In addition to the cattle industry doing well, by 1880 great wheat ranches had expanded throughout Colusa County and produced nearly half a mission bushels of wheat a year14. As a result of the wheat industry expanding, in the 1880’s and 1890’s irrigation districts had been introduced to California along with newly refrigerated railroad cars, which perhaps did the most to advance California towards becoming an agrarian powerhouse in the United States15. With a lucrative economy that was producing food and money, the urbanization of California happened much earlier than intended. With the mass migrations of workers pouring into mining towns and cities, the ones with the best strategic position ended up becoming the most successful. As a result, San Francisco, Sacramento and Las Angeles became the most powerful cities on the west coast because of the Gold Rush16. However, with the establishment of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, California now had a direct contact with the rest of the United States and as a result every town in California economically and socially prospered17. With the advanced development of technology, an interstate road system was built which helped distribute the urbanization of California more thoroughly18. In addition to roads, the technology that was invented in the Gold Rush now could be applied to the development of the advancement of irrigation. In 1900, San Francisco and Los Angeles built a system of dams and aqueducts that would bring running water to their respective cities19. The result of this project would for years to come stabilize the infrastructure of these two cities20. Soon, markets, architecture and literature would flourish in cities across the state as California transformed from a rural state, to one of the most powerful states in America. As time progressed, cities in California were now looking to export their goods to the rest of the world. Banks had already been established in California during the 1850’s as a place for miners to store their gold and by 1855 Wells Fargo Bank controlled about ninety percent of the transporting of gold in the state21. California possessed a highly successful banking system, but now with the help of the transcontinental railroad and the port cities, the Californian economy was now turning towards capitalism22. With a well-organized society and economy in California, industries were booming. Cities like San Francisco led the way with the exportation of goods to other countries and the eastern part of the United States23. California soon started to enter trade relationships with Asia, Europe and other continents as it exported gold, fine goods and food at a rapid rate24. As trade blossomed, so did education and literature. Soon, schools, churches, universities and newspaper companies were sprouting up all along California. This all in term led to California becoming a melting pot of different cultures just like other great states in the U. S. The Gold Rush of 1849 directly led to California’s admittance and prestige as the thirty-first state admitted into the Union. Not only did the Gold Rush bring hundreds of thousands of people to the Golden State, it also kept them there. With advancements through technology, the mining industry in California would become the strongest in the world at its time25. Also, as the mining economy grew strong, the agricultural economy grew even stronger because of the Gold Rush. With these advancements, people were able to build permanent empires through the urban development of California. As cities prospered at the benefit of the Gold Rush, California was able to grow stronger and smarter as a state through capitalism and trade with foreign countries. The Gold Rush of 1849 jump started the development of California as a state and achieved people’s goals of the American Dream. Bibliography: Gibbs, William. California Gold Rush (1848–1858). Open Collections Program: Immigration to the US, California Gold Rush, 1848-1858. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 May 2013. Ketchum, Liza. The Gold Rush. Boston: Little, Brown, 1996. Print. Lloyd, J. D. The Gold Rush. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2002. Print. Martinez, Lionel. The Gold Rushes. The Gold Rushes. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 May 2013. Starr, Kevin. California: A History. New York: Modern Library, 2005. Print.

Mafia - Original Writing :: Papers

Mafia - Original Writing â€Å"Bang, bang, bang!† Francesco fell to the ground with a thunderous thud. His body on top of Fabio’s, who was taken out only moments earlier. Marco was the only one left; this attack has completely gone wrong. He hid behind a crate in the dark room, surrounded by five other men, all his compatriots have been killed or seriously injured. â€Å"Bang, bang† Marco shot blankly around the room; his inexperienced had just cost him dearly, those two shots gave a clear indication of his whereabouts. One of the men crept up behind him, and smashed his solar plexus with a baseball bat. Soon all five men were circling around him; an elbow struck him in the face, at this point his vision was blurred he couldn’t see clearly anymore. Shortly after the attack towards his face, he received a huge blow in the kidney area, he slowly went down. He could hear the chatter amongst the five men; he could hear their footsteps walking away from him. Marco’s once gigantic figure, lay there motionless, in too much pain to move any part of his body. Thoughts started rushing through his head, the events of the past week, has completely changed his life. A week ago, 16th July 1928, Marco Camoranesi was an ordinary man, earning average income, as a taxi driver in the busy street of New York. That night at about 1:30 in the morning, two middle-aged men entered his taxi. Marco approached them in his usual friendly way, but he soon realized that these men weren’t your ordinary New-Yorker. â€Å"Just loose those two cars behind us, you will be rewarded.† Marco was frightened, he knew that there were Mafia gangs around where he lived, but he was one of those people that thought that he was never going to see or be involved in their activities. â€Å"B†¦..but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Marco stutters, but he had no chance to finish, as one of the men behind him put a gun on his head, â€Å"Drive!!!† Marco had no

Global Citizenship Essay

We live in a â€Å"global† world now. Corporate globalization is prevalent nearly everywhere. Travel is more common than ever before. We get news in our homes about any place in the world seconds after it happens. The internet allows us to connect with people all over the world. It allows us to stay in touch with people as we move all over the world as well. We even have an international language! English is spoken (by at least some portions of the population) nearly everywhere you go. Everyone has the potential of being a Global Citizen if they wish to but it takes courage, commitment, and a sense of humour to become one. Global citizenship might sound like a vague concept for academics but in fact it’s a very practical way of looking at the world which anyone, if given the opportunity, can relate to. In the context of globalization, thinking and acting as a global citizen is immensely important and can bring real benefits. To have a full insight of what it means to be a â€Å"global citizen†, one needs to understand what it means to be a citizen. A citizen is a native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection (distinguished from alien). It also refers to a person owing loyalty to and entitled by birth or naturalization to the protection of a state or nation. According to some accounts, citizenship is motivated by local interests (love of family, communal fairness, self-interest), global interests (a sense of universal equality), and concern for fellow human beings, human rights and human dignity. The key tenets of global citizenship include respect for any and all fellow global citizens, regardless of race, religion or creed and give rise to a universal sympathy beyond the barriers of nationality. At Oxfam Education, Global Citizenship is believed to be more than the sum of its parts. It goes beyond simply knowing that we are citizens of the globe to an acknowledgement of our responsibilities both to each other and to the Earth itself. Global Citizenship is about understanding the need to tackle injustice and inequality, and having the desire and ability to work actively to do so. It is about valuing the Earth as precious and unique, and safeguarding the future for those coming after us. â€Å" Global citizenship can be defined as a moral and ethical disposition which can guide the understanding of individuals or groups of local and global contexts, and remind them of their relative responsibilities within  various communities (Barack Obama , 2008). Global Citizenship is a way of thinking and behaving. It is an outlook on life, a belief that we can make a difference. When translated into participatory action, global citizenship entails a responsibility to reduce international inequality (both social and economic), to refrain from action which compromises an individuals’ well-being, and avoids contributing to environmental degradation. A typical example of a Global Citizen is someone who: is aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as a world citizen; respects and values diversity;  has an understanding of how the world works economically, politically, socially, culturally, technologically and environmentally; is outraged by social injustice;   participates in and contributes to the community at a range of levels from local to global; is willing to act to make the world a more sustainable place; takes responsibility for his/her actions. To create a world of Global Citizens, education must be a priority. Though not as an additional subject but as an ethos that can be promoted in class through teaching the existing curriculum in a way that highlights aspects such as social justice, the appreciation of diversity and the importance of sustainable development. In the wider school setting, Global Citizenship can be reflected in the way you relate to those around you. As Global Citizens it is of utmost importance to know that we were born in this world and not aliens, and we also owe our allegiance to the â€Å"government† which we are citizens of. We must also protect our country — the world — when called on to do this. If our homeplace is attacked, with bombs or soldiers or internal rioting and terrorism, we are required to stand up and defend it. As citizens of the world, we must stand up, truly, to the attack on our home that is occurring on a daily basis. We must stand up to the environmental degr adation that is tearing apart our land and depleting our water. If we are citizens of the world, it is imperative that we stand up and protect our country if it is being threatened. The only way to truly achieve a lasting change is to further develop a globally connected mindset and engage those around to foster fair, equal and sustained partnerships with one another in this world. For this reason I, as a Global Citizen, will strive to reach a  deeper understanding of issues relevant to global poverty; and act with compassion, serving as an advocate and activist for positive change in the world. I also pledge to the following: I will seek innovative means to address global issues such as poverty e.t.c I will take it upon myself to think critically about the social and environmental consequences of my actions as it might have either positive or negative impact on otherparts of the world as well as future generations. I will make purchases carefully, taking into account the social and environmental factors of the creation and transport of all consumer goods and also minimize the waste I produce so as make a positive impact on the environment. I will build awareness about issues of social and environmental justice in any and all communities that I am a part of. In whatever field I find myself employed, I will do everything I can to ensure that it adheres to the utmost standards of social and environmental consideration. I understand that the only way to truly achieve lasting change is to further develop a globally connected mindset and engage those around me to foster fair, equal and sustained partnerships with others in this world.

Aging Process Essay - 1089 Words

Aging Process The first article I chose to read was about grief, and how to cope with it. The loss of a loved one cause’s great stress can temporarily interfere with concentration, decision making, and work performance. With enough support and help, grief can promote personal growth of all of those involved in the process. According to this article, grief can be triggered by extreme isolation, depression, or other additive behaviors. Other indicators that show one who is dealing with grief may include quick replacement of the lost relationship or avoidance of any reminder of or imitation of the deceased. Many people who experience these symptoms need some sort of intervention by health care professionals. According to this article,†¦show more content†¦These can go from sleep deprivation, and loss of appetite, to social withdrawal. Although these articles both discuss grief and loss, they differ in certain ways. The first article talked more about the different types of grief, and described the characteristics of them individually. The first article also discussed the effects of a person who is not involved in care giving to their loved on who is terminally ill. I felt that the second article talked more about the most basic type of grief in full detail. The second article, as opposed to the first article, went into detail about the physical features that also accompany grief. I also think that the second article talked about more broad concepts of grief, where as the first article was more specific in its focus on grief. I really enjoyed the articles that I read. I aspire to become a grief and loss counselor one day, so I felt that these articles really pertained to what I am interested in. I think that they explained things very easy, in words that I could actually comprehend. I believe that grief and loss counselors are very important in society; everyone at some point will lose someone they love, and may need the special support of a professional. I also found this topic to be of relevance because my best friends’ father just passed away about a month ago. I have been helping her mourn and go through the grieving process. Reading these articles made me realize things that I have been doing correct,Show MoreRelatedThe Aging Process Essay791 Words   |  4 Pageswere nothing more than dreams. We succeeded in landing on the moon and communicating over long distance, yet there are still some boundaries we have yet to cross despite our best effort. Aging is an inevitable process of nature. While we cannot stop the ticking clock in our body, we have made it possible for aging to be delayed and relieved to a great extent through advance technology and modern governance. 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