User:KennethCaslib/Illnesses and Issues: California Gold Rush

California Gold Rush

Women and Men working the mines of the California Gold Rush

Chinese Exclusion Act Poster

Throughout the late 1700s and early 1800s, numerous Americans and Immigrants from around the world were suffering through financial and environmental instabilities due to the lack of work labor that was accessible for everyone. Immigrants were also facing harsh hazards that were occurring throughout their home country, thus motivating them to immigrate to the United States throughout the 1800s in hopes of seeking a new life that will provide better support for their families. Sooner than later, a struck of gold was found throughout the land of Sacramento, California by miner James W. Marshall, opening new job opportunities to those who were in desperate need. This became a massive calling card to those who were seeking for jobs in order to support their financial needs and family, and soon brought together nearly 300,000 people from all around the world. Essentially, this significant change in thousands of lives was known as the California Gold Rush of the 1800s. Numerous immigrant groups from all around the world, especially Southeast Asian Countries such as the Philippines, China, and Japan migrated in special groups known as waves to the United States to finally fulfill their dreams of living a new life in the States. This sudden shift in the economy throughout the 1800s brought new life to those who were living on the edge of life, but soon later became a catastrophe due to biased labor, racial discrimination, and countless diseases due to the unsanitary conditions of the mines.

Racial Discrimination

Hatred Amongst Southeast Asian Immigrants

As the California Gold Rush was first announced, excitement rose all around the whole world because of the new endless opportunities and possibilities for thousands of individuals that were in poverty throughout this time. But for those that have traveled from their home country to the United States for this opportunity did not have the greatest journey of pursuing a new life due to conflict and racial discrimination amongst the Americans living in the States. Asian Immigrant groups such as the Chinese faced a horrendous time due to racial discrimination that led to laws that went against their rights as a human. Laws and acts such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was first built upon numerous other acts before such as the 1873 San Francisco-Queue Ordinance Act and the 1870 Sidewalk Ordinance Act. Essentially, these acts went against their rights due to jealousy from the Americans that were working the gold mines. Since thousands of Chinese Immigrants were coming down to the United States to work these mines, very limited space was left for Americans already living their to work, causing them heavy anger and stress towards the Chinese Immigrants. The main act of Chinese Exclusion was to completely abolish the future incoming waves of Chinese Immigrants so that they would no longer take charge of all the jobs and communities in the United States to limit the tension between the Chinese and Americans. Sooner than later, this act was soon put to an end, allowing for all Chinese civilians to fully come down to the States to start a new life. On the other hand, more immigrants from Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines were also facing heavy racial discrimination due to the rise of jealousy with the Americans. Filipino Immigrants also immigrated to the United States in several waves as well, migrating in large groups at once. But as they arrive, their journey of having a new life and increasing their financial stability with the California Gold Rush does not go as planned since they also had to undergo heartbreaking events as the Chinese. Events such as the Watsonville Riot that occurred for 5 days and was lead by racial violence and discrimination, targeting the Filipino Immigrants and attacking them on the streets by Americans. Many families and individuals were brutally beat and even murdered during this 5 day time period due to the equal treatment Filipino Immigrants were receiving from white women. Essentially, Americans were extremely unhappy and displeased with the treatment Filipino Immigrants were receiving from the white women, which soon initiated the Watsonville Riot of 1930.

Watch out for Cholera!

Diseases Throughout the Mines

Cholera, Typhoid, and Malaria

Not only was racial discrimination and biased labor on the rise throughout this period of the California Gold Rush, diseases were increasing heavily due to the lack of technology and knowledge during this time period, as well as the unhealthy environment of the mines and villages in which the miners would live in while working the mines. Diseases such as cholera, malaria, and diphtheria were being spread amongst the individuals who worked the mines, which soon spread upon the families and individuals that lived within the radius of the mines. Throughout the California Gold Rush, Cholera was on the heavy rise because of the lack of technology, miners and civilians were drinking and eating anything in sight. Cholera is mainly caught and transmitted through bodies of water such as small rivers or lakes, especially with mines that sit right next to them. Especially open bodies of rivers that are in extremely open environments lead to more contamination, and with these miners working from all day, nothing crosses their minds except being hydrating and having food in their bodies, causing them to drink from these rivers that sit next to the mines. Symptoms such as being fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea are extremely severe when undergoing cholera. Just like cholera, typhoid was also a massive diseases that was on the rise throughout this time of the gold rush. It was also transmitted through contaminated open bodies of waters such as the rivers that sit alongside these mines. Typhoid may also be transmitted through person to person contact, as well as contaminated food. The symptoms of typhoid are extremely similar to cholera, with headaches, stomach pain, and diarrhea. On the other hand, with the mines being in extremely open environments in forest areas, miners are essentially exposed to any disease and insect that comes within their way. Due to their exposure to the open environment in the forest, thousands of miners were exposed to malaria, which was mainly transmitted through mosquitoes as they make contact with the skin, contaminating the human blood. Similarly to cholera, the symptoms of malaria are extremely horrendous and deadly which may include flu-like fevers, diarrhea, vomiting and much more.

Silicosis

Besides these long known diseases that have been out for decades before the gold rush, silicosis was the leading cause of the deaths and sicknesses for a majority of the miners that worked the mines. Silicosis is an extreme lung disease that lasts for exceedingly long time due to inhaling heavy amounts of silica dust. Most people acquire silicosis due to the exposure to dust throughout their work fields such as cave mines, construction, and glass manufacturing. Essentially, any work fields that exposes individuals to flying debris will increase the chances of acquiring silicosis, unless they are extremely protected with wearing special gear and masks covering their faces. But unfortunately during this specific time period, these miners did not have special technology or equipment when working these mines, leaving them openly exposed to the debris and dust that wonders around throughout these caves. Especially with working these mines from the peak of daylight till the sunsets, the chances of these miners catching silicosis are exorbitant, and will most definitely stay inside of their system for excessive amount of time.

Cholera, typhoid, malaria, and silicosis were the top leading diseases during this time of the California Gold Rush. Many of these diseases were already present before the California Gold Rush and were paid very little attention too during this time because their main goal was to gain profit from the mines. The miners working the caves had an horrendous diet and source of hydration because their main obligation was to work the mines to find gold, causing them to be forced to eat and drink what they had in front of them and what was accessible throughout this period of time. Next to these mines were small villages and cities that allowed for the miners to stay in while they were working the mines, which allows them to easily go home and rest and come right back early in the morning. However, many families of the miners were also living in these villages, especially those the immigrants that came from their home country to the United States, allowing the diseases that were contracted from the mines to be easily spread throughout the individuals living in these small villages. Sooner than later, numerous miners and families were facing extreme symptoms from these diseases, and unfortunately some of them faced death because there was no source of treatment for these diseases during this time.