Gentile Migration Miners, Railroad Workers and Soldiers

Gentile Migration

Miners, Railroad Workers and Soldiers

Gentiles

A person of a non-Jewish nation or faith. A non-MormonThey came for three different reasons:

Mining The Transcontinental Railroad Soldiers in the Utah War

Mining in Utah’s MountainsUtah was rich in mineral ore.

Specifically gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and coal.Mostly farmers who needed coal for their stoves,

or lead to make bullets. Very dangerous working far underground.

Might fall off the mine elevators Might be hit by falling rocks or get run over by fast-moving

mining cars Sometimes tunnels would collapse Some developed lung diseases from breathing in the dust Air in the mines also filled with deadly gases

Paid about $3-4 a day for 10-12 hours of work. Immigrants from Europe, Canada, Asia, and

South America.

The Railroad Revolutionizes TransportationMay 10, 1869

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Why a Railroad? The Civil War ended, and U.S.

Congress looked for ways to bring the nation together.

Answer: A railroad that goes across the country. MANIFEST DESTINY:Belief that the U.S. would spread from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Utah was in support. Why? Union Pacific: Group that worked

westward from Nebraska Central Pacific: Group that worked

eastward from California









Immigrants to the Rescue

Irish Thousands come from Ireland Union Pacific Railroad Work on flat, prairie land

Chinese Thousands come from China Central Pacific Railroad- Sierra Nevada

Mountains Hard and Dangerous Hot deserts and cold winters About 2,000 died from the cold

and accidents of setting offdynamite in the mountains













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Mormons to the Rescue

Union Pacific needed help going through the Rocky Mountains

Contract signed for $2 million to build a roadbed from Echo Canyon through Weber Canyon and into Ogden

Helped cut down trees and sold them to make railroad tires.

Also sold grain, hay, potatoes, and meat to the companies

Tracks met at Promontory Summit--May 10, 1869





How Did the Railroad Change

Utah? Able to transport raw materials faster. Wheat, fruits and beef began to be sold

outside of Utah. Because there were more imports into

Utah, some Utah manufacturers went out of business.

Easier access to mountains for mining. More tourists to Utah. Connected Utah

towns and made transportation easier.









Soldiers in the Utah War!Judges and others who didn’t like Mormons,

returned to the East and complained to the U.S. President Buchanan.

In response, a new governor was sent to replace Brigham Young and a supplied army to stop a Mormon rebellion against the government.

Johnston’s Army of 2,500 soldiers arrived in 1858 and established Camp Floyd.

Soldiers were unwelcome. With the start of the Civil War, the troops

were called back to the East and the military base was abandoned.

The Army’s Impact on Utah

Brought much needed cash to Utah people.

Paid local residents to help build the camp and sold old army supplies for low prices.

Provided job and bought beef and farm crops from the Utah people.

Negative Impact: The town was full of prostitutes, gamblers, cattle rustlers and other dangerous people. No one felt safe there without a weapon.

Donner-Reed Party

Read from textbook pg. 90-91

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Gentile Migration Miners, Railroad Workers and Soldiers