Mining California by M. M.

On April 10, 2017 the HIST 111 T/TH class examined a chapter from Andrew C. Isenberg’s book Mining California which explored California’s overall beauty, it’s vast lands, it’s complex weather patterns, and it’s abundant natural resources which were exploited by the ever growing population. Isenberg’s main argument was to showcase the destruction of California’s natural resources as the population kept on growing. The evidence he used to back up his argument varied from statistical data to primary sources from well known historical figures. During the same class we also examined Dr. Donald Worster interview. Dr Worster's main argument was to shed some light on the very overlook topic of environmental history and how important it is to understand how the presence of men in this continent has changed it’s layout forever. Some of the points which he discussed include the barbaric ways of killing buffaloes by the Native Americans, the search of commodities and natural resources to exploit by European Settlers, the creation of federally preserved lands and also a brief description of what mining economy is. Some of the evidence he used  to back up his arguments consisted on his own research, historical facts, and essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Rachel Carson.

The purposes of both Dr. Isenberg and Dr. Worster are: to showcase the natural beauty of not just California but also of the United States prior to the arrival of men, to explain how natural resources were exploited in order to stimulate the country’s economy, what types of technologies were used to do it, and how the government’s response to the uncontrolled capitalists environmental exploitation of the time. The point of view both historians took in the interview and the book chapter was of well informed and very knowledgeable environmental historians. They both showed an eagerness to share as much information as possible in a very easy to understand manner to a general audience. While listening to Dr. Worster’s interview and reading  Dr. Isenberg’s piece one can easily hear and see multiple voices from the Pre-columbian Native Americans to European Settlers. One can even feel as if he is listening to mother nature speak of the injustices done to her by men and their capitalists driven environmental exploitation. It is with certainty that he who watches Dr. Worster’s interview and reads Dr. Isenberg’s book will not feel as if anyone’s voices were left out; they both did a superb job of remaining unbiased to any ideology and simply presented less known historical facts regarding environmental history.

Within the class both, Dr. Worster’s interview and Dr. Isenberg’s piece were thoroughly examined. Some of the topics which were talked about the most were from Dr. Worster’s interview: President’s Roosevelt’s life and his peculiar adventurous, bold, and daring style, the hydrological and environmental biodiversity destruction, nature lovers such as Emerson, Thoreau, Carson and Muir, and how the United States mining economy ideology had abused of our natural resources for far too long. As far as Dr. Isenberg’s piece the class was very interested in finding what were the main natural resources that men had exploited in California which were gold, lumber, and oil. We also discussed how the technological advances of the era had helped deteriorate the environment, for example hydraulic mining helped destroyed mountains, and river beds. We were also fascinated to discover how the demographics changed with time to the point that by 1890 30% of California’s population was foreign born.

The amount of questions regarding Dr. Worter’s interview and Dr. Isenberg’s piece was very limited since most of the facts were self explanatory. However, some students asked questions about the studied era which helped bring a better understanding to the overall concept of environmental history. One of the most interesting questions asked was: What did the government do to mitigate uncontrolled environmental exploitation? The answer was that eventually the government would create the National Parks Systems, the Environmental Protection Agency, passed the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Legislation, the Coastal Commission and the Natural Preservation Act. Furthermore, someone asked: How is it that Chinese people ended up in California? It was then that we found out that Chinese people were hired in China by American Corporations to come work in the United States for very low pay, in fact the pay was so low that in 1882 the government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which put a 10 year moratorium on Chinese immigration. Another topic which was clarified to us was how mining economy works. We came to understand that mining economy is based on finding new fuel systems to live; so far it has worked but will not for too long. This is the reason why the United States began to import oil in the 1950's, basically understanding that drilling within our own land could be detrimental while not really caring if it is or it is not to the other exporting nation.

Finally, as complex and intriguing as this topic is there are only two questions that still remain unanswered. Why is it that so many historians choose to study politics, power, social history, family relationships, race, and gender but not environment? What have we learned in regards to the exploitation of our natural resources that we can use to preserve what we have left so that the future generations can also enjoy it as well?

Mining California by C. D-L.

  We watched an interview video about a man named Donald Worster and his studies as a historian and read an article about mining California and what the West had to offer. Unlike most historians Donald Worster’s studies deal with the past but its main focus is on nature. Donald is known as an Environmental Historian. Throughout Donald’s interview he describes how the west was untouched and unseen for so many years but is then brutalized by travelers and immigrants that are a part of a mining economy. A mining economy is one that thinks we will always find new resources to fill in the place of resources that they have already depleted; unlimited amount of resources.  In this interview Donald also discusses men like Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir. Worster describes John Muir as an American Public Prophet and Naturalist because of his writings about how passionate he was about nature and wild life. Muir’s work was published in magazines and news articles to spread the word of our nature and its beauty. During this time many believed that the arts shaped the way we as humans viewed nature. Roosevelt saved more land for preservation than any other president.

 In the article “Mining California” by Andrew Isenberg, Isenberg mentions Native American and their ideas, California’s climate, geography, population, and technological advancements. Isenberg also includes information about the economic demands of mining, different Acts that were supposed to help California, and the causes and effects on Hydraulic mining. “Geologically, California is one of the youngest and most rapid changing regions in the world” , with environments ranging in altitude from 282 feet below sea level to 14,500 feet above sea level. California suffered two major droughts one lasting from 890-1100 and the other from 1210-1350. The Indians of California would set fires in both fall and spring to kill the rest of crops that were either alive or dead to have fresh soil to plant new crops. This fresh soil would allow easy access for a cleaner plow of the soil for the new crops. The economic demands of mining took a toll on all natural environments like land, agriculture, and animals which caused some to be completely depleted. After seeing this was happening California started to pass laws and acts that funneled natural resources from western public into the control of industrial entrepreneurs.

            The purpose of watching the Donald Worster video was to inform students that there is a lot of history about our land that we don’t know about. In fact, we learn in high school and college about wars, significant dates, treaties, and slavery in our history classes but we are never really informed about the West and significant history of California land we live on. Worster was trying to make us aware that we must take care of our ecosystem; otherwise the ecosystem will eventually die off due to human caused activity. He was informing us that even though mining economy was beneficial in some regions and times of the US; it was also a very poor way of treating our planet. The workers of this economy would excavate our land until t was depleted then move onto more land until that area was depleted as well. A voice I would like to hear from Worster’s ideas would be the voices of John Muir and his ideas, Theodore Roosevelt and his ideas, and also some of the workers of the different economies.

            The purpose of the article “Mining California” was specifically to inform student’s about the demand for natural resources, the causes and effect of mining and agriculture, some technological advances, the percentages of laborers, and the overall effect of hydraulic mining. “California was a rare place that promised its inhabitants prosperity and the pristine.” Although we’ve learned California was mined for gold another contributing factor of California was all of its trees. California cut large numbers of trees to build cities to support the growing population. The demand for lumber by city builders contributed to the deforestation of one-third of California’s availed supply of timber by 1872. With the large growing population also came sewage systems and factories to industrialize California. A major problem with the factories was that they emitted large amounts of toxins into the air, water, and soil. By 1910, one in five American laborers was an immigrant. The discovery of gold not only attracted Americans to California but also migrants from Europe, Latin America, and East Asia. “Hydraulic mining, urban development, and industrial logging and ranching proved successful enough endeavors that they inspired the further exploitation both within and outside the state.”

            In class we enhanced our knowledge more about Environmental history and the mining of California. We discussed that Environmental historians were more based on the West. There was a thought process from the 18660s-1900s that California and the US were never going to run out of natural resources. Unlike Anglo-Saxon Europeans whose tradition was to migrate and develop to become more modernized right then was different from a naturalist thought process because they think how is what we are doing now going to affect our future. After the Civil War almost half the cowboys in the west were black and as the cities grew more and more men started to get more office jobs and become less outdoorsy. After being mentally and physically broken from the Civil War, California was the place to go because the nature was a sense of relief and calming.  Mining California main purpose was for the gold rush and what it had to offer. In class we learned about the consequences of development and demographic changes. One of the main ways laborers would mine was by hydraulic mining which they thought was a great success. The problem with hydraulic mining was that it destroyed mountains that could never be rebuilt, it could change the shape and depth of river beds, and if the actual hydraulic line became clogged, it would cause a great amount of flooding. In 1860 thirty-nine percent of the state’s residents were foreign born and by 1910 one in every five American Laborers was an immigrant. By 1900 over $9.7 billion was invested in American industry but only $330 million was invested in the West. Automobiles were invented to help with transportation and to help lower the rate of horse carcasses lying around.

            How did the Indians maintain the fires they started? When was the first Hydraulic mine created? How did we preserve all of John Muir’s work? What was the percentage of American born laborers? How did the US get all of the money to invest into the West?

Manifest Destiny by T. D.

Manifest Destiny

In these readings, these historians explore how 19th century Americans defined themselves as a people and as a nation, and how they understood westward expansion, particularly the War with Mexico. The 1840s were years of extraordinary territorial growth for the United State. National domain increased by 1.2 million square miles. Whig party leaders vigorously opposed territorial growth and expansionist Democrats argued. The growth of territorial was at risk of war with other nations. Contiguous land would voluntary join the U.S because they wanted obtain republican benefits. “Regions would ripen like fruit and fall into the lap of the United States.” In the 19th century many Americans dismissed the idea of transcontinental republic. The conquered by technological innovations and steamboats 1840s turned America's waterways in busy commercial. Also railroads integrated eastern markets with towns and cities of western.Mid 1840s Great Britain rumored to be plotting with Mexico to block Washington’s efforts to annex the Texas republic and scheming to acquire California.

Thomas Jefferson viewed an abundance land as mainstay of prosperous republic. Tide of immigrants from Germany and Ireland. Southerners anxious to enlarge the slave empire. New slave states would enhance the South’s political. Washington policy makers, anxious to compete with Great Britain for the Asia trade.1837 disastrous panic resulted in huge surpluses and depressed prices of American farm products. Great Britain's claim to the Pacific Northwest and its close relationship with Mexico. Matters of great concern to American interests. Great Britain viewed United States’ only rival for control Pacific coastline. Great Britain had abolished slavery in its West Indies colonial possessions in 1833. Democrat James K. Polk convinced the only way to deal with “John Bull.” British activities in western hemisphere and national agenda in the years prior to the outbreak of civil war. The desire for Canada in period between the American war for independence and war of 1812.

Polk considered extending US sovereignty over the Yucatan peninsula and Cuba. Louisiana purchase and United States support for a Texas independence and annexation. Attitude of Europeans and others observers was one not fear of United States. People poised in the way of that expansion, were aware of this, especially the Mexicans. In class we discussed “How did United States took over from California all the way to Texas?” Mexicans were torn between two conflicting attitudes about U.S. Attitude of fear that Americans would try to detach border territories from Mexico’s lands. After the war between Mexico and United States had one sided view of Mexican war. But it was not Mexico versus the U.S but within the United States there was a division of opinion a minority opposed to the war. The profound differences in U.S’s future shape in our wealth within the discovery of gold in California. Mexico lost the rich potential of California and it's amazing gold mines, agricultural and water resources. When the war was ended there were close to 75,000 Mexicans living in the conquered territory from California to Texas.

Many of Mexicans loss their own land they become foreigners in their native land. “From the 75,000 Mexicans living in the conquered territory from California to Texas how many Mexicans did they stayed?” Since they had the choice of either going back to Mexico or staying in the U.S. And if they stayed, they could choose Mexican or United States citizenship.

Andrew Jackson by D. C.

1. The main argument throughout the documentary in the time period of Andrew Jackson in American History, was to shine a light on the dilemma of the relationship between the common man and government. Although Andrew Jackson was not necessarily a common man for he had earned a rising sense of fame due to his success as a General in the U.S. Army. Throughout his life, Jackson was criticized for his steadfast opinions and autocratic manner, but he nonetheless proved himself a savvy and thoughtful politician. It was only after he had fully considered his options that he made a decision–once that decision had been made, however, he pursued it relentlessly, gradually grinding away at his opponents until he got what he needed. In doing so, he helped modernize the nation and forever define his term of office as the mini-Enlightenment now known as Jacksonian America.
2. To identify a purpose of the documentary we would need to envelop all of the Jacksonian Age. I believe it is to give viewers an understanding of what kind of mindset politicians and common men had of the era. More specifically, it highlighted both sides of all conflicts and discussed why/what actions were taken as well as evidence from written accounts by the individuals in the time period. Such individuals voices included; Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, Rachel Jackson and John Eaton. The voices that didn’t seem to shine as bright as theirs did would be the ones of the common man, at least through the beginning of the Jacksonian Era. Common men were not heard as well as they ought to have been heard, the Electoral College spoke for them on political matters which (on occasion) was infuriating.
3. In class we discussed a lot of different topics from Jackson’s time but the one that became more prominent to myself was how abusive he was with his power. More specifically the power of the Presidential Veto. By over exceeding his executive powers he used a veto in the U.S. Bank because he felt that the Bank was an unfair monopoly and that it abused or might abuse its significant power. Jackson went to great lengths to destroy the Bank, a crusade that almost cost him the presidency in 1834 and earned him an official censure by the Senate. Nonetheless, by 1837, he had killed the Bank, as part of his lifelong distrust of credit. This side of Jackson showed a new and different part of himself that I didn’t see in the documentary.
4. One historical questions or topics more or less we talked about was Jackson’s King like qualities. A classmate brought up the similarities between Jackson and Trump and everything sort of clicked because they are very alike. A big Jacksonian characteristic was that he earned the respect of the Americans who elected him largely by being an outsider and a disruptive force chosen to break up existing Washington power structures. This is something we see in President Trump. Towards the end of class we were handed a political cartoon of the era depicting Andrew Jackson as King. This cartoon from 1832 uses that theme to show Jackson, dressed as a king, trampling on the Constitution and wielding the veto. While the cartoon garnered support for the opposing Whig Party, but it did little to thwart Jackson's desire to increase the power of the presidency.
5. Any unanswered questions? The only one I really have is if other political parties ever got as dirty as Andrew Jackson’s? We know that President Trump’s did but before the year 2000 is when I mean.

Andrew Jackson by K.A.

Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the united states, had a long and trying political life. Jackson ran for president in 1824 and 1828. Elections back then were more of an elitist operation and was controlled by washington electors. Jackson was viewed as more of a military leader and even Thomas Jefferson added that he is the most unfit man for the job. Jackson won the popular and electoral votes but, Jackson did not win the majority. Henry Clay did not want Jackson to be president and so supported Quincy Adams and in return Adams gave Clay secretary of state.

Jackson and his wife Rachel had a scandal that was revealed by Henry Clays confidant. It was revealed that Rachel was living with jackson while married to another man. Jackson blamed Clay for the attacks on Rachel and claims that he regrets that he didn't shoot Clay. Jacksons campaign in 1828 was viewed as the dirtiest campaign in all of history.

After Jackson was elected president in 1828 Rachel Jackson died right after. Everyone that knew jackson thought rachel dying knew that it was better that way because they knew she wasn't good for Andrew Jackson because of her social status. Jackson didn't agree and actually blames Clay and Adams for the death of rachel.

Clay and allies viewed Jackson as an Imperial president. Jackson fired many of the employees and high-level bureaucrats due to "incompetence" and his opponents saw it as the "work of the devil." A lot of the new employees had a lot of scandals in their backgrounds and looked as ruining government efficiency and turned it into his own personal government.