The Mining BoomsChapter 18, Section 1

Pgs. 528-532

Lode A streak or

abundance of minerals found underground sandwiched between two rocks

Ore Rocks or

minerals found underground that are worth money

Vigilantes Someone who

takes the law into their own hands and decides a person’s guilt or innocence without a trial.

Ghost Towns What a boomtown becomes when the gold

runs out and all the people leave the town deserted.

Subsidy Money and/or land given to railroad

companies by the government so that railroad construction would continue in the west.

Transcontinental Stretches across

the continent from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.

Pikes Peak The discovery of gold started a rush to

Colorado.

Comstock Lode Discovery of

silver-bearing ore started a rush to Nevada, giving birth to the boomtown of Virginia City.

Promontory Point Place in Utah

Territory where two railroads met to make the first transcontinental railroad in the United States and connect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Characteristics of Boomtowns Very rapid growth in

population and wealth

Expensive goods Lawlessness and

violence with vigilante justice

Few women

The Gold Rush Gold strikes attracted

thousands of people eager to earn their fortunes.

The rush also led to the creation of boomtowns.

The Mining Companies Mining companies took the place of the

individual miner because the gold was underground.

Expensive machinery, workers, and organization were needed to make a profit.

Gold and Silver Run Dry After the gold and silver were depleted,

mining continued for copper, lead, and zinc. These raw materials could be sold to

factories and markets for profit.

Subsidies The federal government agreed to

subsidize the construction of the transcontinental railroad because it would benefit everyone in the country.

Transportation and Mining Transportation was needed to take the

precious mineral away from the mines to the people who wanted them and to bring supplies to the miners.

Railroad Affects the Nation The railroad brought thousands of workers

to the West Carried goods back and forth between East

and West Boosted the coal, iron, and steel industries Led to the creation of new towns Led to standardized time zones