Migration during the Gold Rush Why Migrate http

Migration during the Gold Rush

Why Migrate? • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=0 pi. Hgq. PE_dk&feature=re lated • Migration – Although people migrate to different places for many different reasons, the main driving factor for migration is employment. For many people, a site change in their existing job forces them to move, but for others it is the prospect of a better job that attracts them to a new location.

Who? *Europeans – British, Irish, Germans, Italians, Greek, Polish, Maltese, Russians & French Main focus *Chinese – Mostly from the Canton region *Pacific Islanders – Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia ?

Gold Rush • The first gold rush in Australia started in 1851 when prospector Edward Hargraves claimed the discovery gold near Bathurst, New South Wales, at a site Edward Hargraves called Ophir. • Eight months later, gold was found in Victoria too, in Ballarat and Bendigo. • Australia's population grew from 400, 000 to over 1, 000 during 1845 to 1896 as a consequence of gold discoveries • Many Chinese immigrated during this time.

Conditions • In the decade of 1851, ½ million people from Britain, Europe, China & North America came to Victoria in search of gold. • Upon arrival they found accommodation to be scarce and food/travel to be very expensive. • Many sold precious possessions in order to buy tools & necessities. • The Chinese gold diggers experienced a lot of racism.

Conditions • Living conditions were bad. • Cotton tents, wood/stumps for furniture & straw/leaves on the floor served as a bed. Blankets were flea ridden. • Food was expensive and monotonous. Poor diet caused abraded hands which many diggers got. • Inadequate sanitary arrangements & polluted water let to outbreaks of dysentery and sand flight bites caused sandy blight & variety of illnesses. • Injury & death from mining incidents were common.

The Chinese • Many Chinese migrated to Australia after the 1849. Many who left China to discover gold in Australia came by boat. • Around 40, 000. Most were men & most left afterwards. • The Chinese were the biggest non-European group at the goldfields. • They were not very welcome as their dress and habits were different from the other diggers.

Why? • Instability in China and Hong Kong because of the Opium Wars and various famines and plagues. • Australia and its fortune of gold was very appealing to those wanting a better future. • They could sell the gold and then collect the money which they could save for their family.

The Chinese • The average Chinese miner could live on less, withstand worse conditions and remain patient longer than diggers of other nationalities. • They could work all day waist deep in water so weather didn’t affect their working habits. • They were often extremely secretive about their success. • They often found gold in places where European gold diggers had given up on. • Led to resentment & jealousy

Cultural differences • Different religious practices such as Taoist or Buddhist devotional acts made Europeans think they were heathens & idol worshippers. • Introduced opium smoking which led to Opium wars. • Europeans were angry that people were becoming addicted & lazy because of opium. • Introduced novelty forms of gambling & it was thought that 1 in 2 Chinese gambled. • Usually worked in groups with other Chinese individuals. Didn’t mix with the other cultural groups.

Hostility • European miners grew increasingly hostile towards the Chinese. They accused them of opium smoking and wasting water. • They were also jealous when they found gold in areas the Europeans gave up on. • The Chinese miners remained passive as hostility rose against them. This hostility exploded, and anti-Chinese riots developed. • In Victoria, in 1857, 22 Chinese were killed as a result of these riots. In New South Wales, in 1861, two more Chinese were killed in further riots.

Chinese Immigration Act • The large numbers of Chinese immigrants worried the local government. • They placed heavy restrictions on the number of Chinese who could enter Victoria, as well as a tax for Chinese people entering the state. • To avoid these costs, many Chinese travelled first to South Australia, which had no restrictions for their migration, and walked vast distances to cross into Victoria.

Australia Today: Conclusion • What are some of the impacts these migrants had on Australia today? • How do you think Australia would be different if the Gold Rush migrations had never occurred? • How has Australia been improved as a results of the migration?