Usa's Immigration Expansion
Geographic and Environmental Influences of U.S. Expansion
The two most significant environmental and geographical factors that contributed to the expansion of the United States (US) were the California Gold Rush and the Irish Potato famine. The gold rush created a movement of people to Northern California, specifically to the area around San Francisco and Sacramento from all over the United States (Udall & Emmons, 2003). In addition, migration was not limited to US fortune seekers but triggered a worldwide migration. The Chinese migration was particularly large. In fact, the migration was so large that in 1850 legislation was passed to assess fees to foreign miners.
The prospectors mostly in their twenties came over land and by boat. …show more content…
Most had come to San Francisco to buy equipment and supplies. San Francisco developed from a small agricultural town of 600 people in 1848 to a city of more than 30,000 people by 1850 (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 133). Following the migration of miners was the businessman hoping to make a profit off the miners by selling supplies and equipment. Collis P. Huntington collected his fortune from selling mining equipment to the miners. Ten years later he was instrumental in bringing the railroad to San Francisco.
Women also flowed into the northern California area so they could be together as a family and with the lure of higher wages, women opened boarding houses, cooked meals, sewing and worked in bordellos (Udall & Emmons, 2003). The fast growth of San Francisco had turned the cities almost nonexistent port into a major shipping port in just three years. This new port opened the door for world trade, and solidified economic opportunities for the pacific coast.
Between 1849 and 1851 northern California saw an influx of 200,000 people (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 132) and reached 350,000 by 1860 (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 127). Sacramento, a farming settlement of four houses in April 1849 had attracted 10,000 people by the end of the year (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 132). In 1852, a census showed that California’s population had grown from 25,000, before the gold rush to 223,856 (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 125). The allure of gold even reached as far as the US legislature. California had been a U.S. territory for only three years, but they were allowed to forgo the customary indoctrination for statehood. They were rewarded statehood, becoming the first state of the West coast in September of 1850.
In 1855 with gold resources exhausted the gold rush was over (Udall & Emmons, 2003).
The gold rush brought economic prosperity to California. The businesses, stores, farms, craftsman and industries that grew to supply the prospectors continued to take advantage of California’s growing industry and rich agriculture trade.
California’s massive migration was the lure of gold and fortune. Gold fever swept through California bringing immigrants in search of their fortunes. The Irish on the other hand fled England searching for their own golden calf, survival.
Ireland always had potato blight, but was usually isolated to a specific region. The potato blight had spread throughout Europe in 1845 and Ireland looked to be mostly unaffected (Smith, 2011). The potato blight was not discovered in Ireland until August of 1845 and was not reported until September of that year. By October there were grave warnings of potato famine spreading through Ireland. The blight had wiped out 30 per cent of the potato harvest (Smith, 2011, p. 42). Farmers that were spared from the blight were forced to harvest crops early. Farmers fended off starvation and ate the seed potatoes they had for spring …show more content…
planting.
Many expected the famine in the spring and summer of 1846 the typical pattern for the blight but as time went on it appeared that the situation was not as severe as originally thought. A number of fundamental problems were neglected during this time (Smith, 2011). Because many farmers ate their seed potatoes 30 per cent of Ireland’s crop went unplanted. The mild winter and heavy rain fall nurtured and allowed the blight disease to survive and spread. The farmers planted the crops in disease-infested ground and by July of 1846 the blight had spread throughout Ireland where 88 per cent of the crops failed (Smith, 2011, p. 44).
When England attempted to purchase relief food for the people there was no surplus available. Europe had enacted laws against food export, and the U.S. grain supply had already been absorbed by Europe. The English Government with no foresight had not established food export laws and Ireland merchants had exported most of the agricultural crops to Europe. In fact, more food was exported from Ireland than had been brought in for relief at this time (Smith, 2011).
To add to the problems the landlords who faced economic hardships themselves began to evict many of the tenant farms from their lands and an estimated 400,000 (Smith, 2011, p. 46) tenant farmers were evicted. The addition of these tenant farmers overwhelmed Government relief efforts. With no shelter or food the first reports of death by starvation were seen. These first deaths were children and the weak and many more died of diseases. Heath facilities were overrun with no relief in sight. By the end of winter in 1846, 400,000 (Smith, 2011, p. 47) people had died due to starvation.
With relief efforts overwhelmed, soup kitchens were opened, and by August 1847, soup kitchens were feeding over three million people (Smith, 2011).
With little hope of survival in the current conditions Ireland needed a quick remedy for relief. These homeless people made their way to Liverpool and boarded boats for the journey across the Atlantic Ocean to America. In April 1847, 85,000 (Smith, 2011, p. 49) Irish people left Ireland for North America. After this initial voyage, Irish immigrants came by the thousands seeking passage to America. Ships that had once been used for cargo were now enlisted as passenger ships for the Irish immigrants headed for America. Many left dressed in rags with little food and no money to last the 40-day journey and many would die on these
ships.
In 1848, the potato crop was decimated by the blight and crops failed over the next two years (Smith, 2011). Over 1.5 million Irish would immigrate to America between 1845 and 1855 to seek refuge in America (Smith, 2011, p. 50). Most were destitute and suffering from starvation and sickness. They left because potato crops had failed and millions were without food. All told more than 1 million had died in 5 years (Smith, 2011, p. 50). Those who survived the journey to America settled mostly on the east coast lived in difficult conditions, but managed to survive and become an integral part of American culture.
The two most significant environmental and geographical factors that contributed to the expansion of the United States (US) were the California Gold Rush and the Irish Potato famine. The gold rush created a movement of people to Northern California, specifically to the area around San Francisco and Sacramento from all over the United States (Udall & Emmons, 2003). In addition, migration was not limited to US fortune seekers but triggered a worldwide migration. The Chinese migration was particularly large. In fact, the migration was so large that in 1850 legislation was passed to assess fees to foreign miners.
The prospectors mostly in their twenties came over land and by boat. …show more content…
Most had come to San Francisco to buy equipment and supplies. San Francisco developed from a small agricultural town of 600 people in 1848 to a city of more than 30,000 people by 1850 (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 133). Following the migration of miners was the businessman hoping to make a profit off the miners by selling supplies and equipment. Collis P. Huntington collected his fortune from selling mining equipment to the miners. Ten years later he was instrumental in bringing the railroad to San Francisco.
Women also flowed into the northern California area so they could be together as a family and with the lure of higher wages, women opened boarding houses, cooked meals, sewing and worked in bordellos (Udall & Emmons, 2003). The fast growth of San Francisco had turned the cities almost nonexistent port into a major shipping port in just three years. This new port opened the door for world trade, and solidified economic opportunities for the pacific coast.
Between 1849 and 1851 northern California saw an influx of 200,000 people (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 132) and reached 350,000 by 1860 (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 127). Sacramento, a farming settlement of four houses in April 1849 had attracted 10,000 people by the end of the year (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 132). In 1852, a census showed that California’s population had grown from 25,000, before the gold rush to 223,856 (Udall & Emmons, 2003, p. 125). The allure of gold even reached as far as the US legislature. California had been a U.S. territory for only three years, but they were allowed to forgo the customary indoctrination for statehood. They were rewarded statehood, becoming the first state of the West coast in September of 1850.
In 1855 with gold resources exhausted the gold rush was over (Udall & Emmons, 2003).
The gold rush brought economic prosperity to California. The businesses, stores, farms, craftsman and industries that grew to supply the prospectors continued to take advantage of California’s growing industry and rich agriculture trade.
California’s massive migration was the lure of gold and fortune. Gold fever swept through California bringing immigrants in search of their fortunes. The Irish on the other hand fled England searching for their own golden calf, survival.
Ireland always had potato blight, but was usually isolated to a specific region. The potato blight had spread throughout Europe in 1845 and Ireland looked to be mostly unaffected (Smith, 2011). The potato blight was not discovered in Ireland until August of 1845 and was not reported until September of that year. By October there were grave warnings of potato famine spreading through Ireland. The blight had wiped out 30 per cent of the potato harvest (Smith, 2011, p. 42). Farmers that were spared from the blight were forced to harvest crops early. Farmers fended off starvation and ate the seed potatoes they had for spring …show more content…
planting.
Many expected the famine in the spring and summer of 1846 the typical pattern for the blight but as time went on it appeared that the situation was not as severe as originally thought. A number of fundamental problems were neglected during this time (Smith, 2011). Because many farmers ate their seed potatoes 30 per cent of Ireland’s crop went unplanted. The mild winter and heavy rain fall nurtured and allowed the blight disease to survive and spread. The farmers planted the crops in disease-infested ground and by July of 1846 the blight had spread throughout Ireland where 88 per cent of the crops failed (Smith, 2011, p. 44).
When England attempted to purchase relief food for the people there was no surplus available. Europe had enacted laws against food export, and the U.S. grain supply had already been absorbed by Europe. The English Government with no foresight had not established food export laws and Ireland merchants had exported most of the agricultural crops to Europe. In fact, more food was exported from Ireland than had been brought in for relief at this time (Smith, 2011).
To add to the problems the landlords who faced economic hardships themselves began to evict many of the tenant farms from their lands and an estimated 400,000 (Smith, 2011, p. 46) tenant farmers were evicted. The addition of these tenant farmers overwhelmed Government relief efforts. With no shelter or food the first reports of death by starvation were seen. These first deaths were children and the weak and many more died of diseases. Heath facilities were overrun with no relief in sight. By the end of winter in 1846, 400,000 (Smith, 2011, p. 47) people had died due to starvation.
With relief efforts overwhelmed, soup kitchens were opened, and by August 1847, soup kitchens were feeding over three million people (Smith, 2011).
With little hope of survival in the current conditions Ireland needed a quick remedy for relief. These homeless people made their way to Liverpool and boarded boats for the journey across the Atlantic Ocean to America. In April 1847, 85,000 (Smith, 2011, p. 49) Irish people left Ireland for North America. After this initial voyage, Irish immigrants came by the thousands seeking passage to America. Ships that had once been used for cargo were now enlisted as passenger ships for the Irish immigrants headed for America. Many left dressed in rags with little food and no money to last the 40-day journey and many would die on these
ships.
In 1848, the potato crop was decimated by the blight and crops failed over the next two years (Smith, 2011). Over 1.5 million Irish would immigrate to America between 1845 and 1855 to seek refuge in America (Smith, 2011, p. 50). Most were destitute and suffering from starvation and sickness. They left because potato crops had failed and millions were without food. All told more than 1 million had died in 5 years (Smith, 2011, p. 50). Those who survived the journey to America settled mostly on the east coast lived in difficult conditions, but managed to survive and become an integral part of American culture.