The Gold RushesThe gold rush officially started in 1851 after Edward Hargraves and his colleagues publicised their find of gold near Bathurst. Sure gold had been found before then but it was kept secret thanks to Governor Gipps. Gipps thought that if word got around that there was gold to be found, all of the convicts would want to try and find some for a chance of a new life. At the time most of the convicts were working as labourers to farmers for a low wage. But word did get out that there was gold to be found and so started the gold rush. News travelled to other countries and empires around the world that their was gold to be found in Australia and many nationalities such as British, Chinese, German, Italian and Americans wanted in on the action. On the gold fields there are two main types of gold for people to find; Alluvial and Buried. The gold rushes was a time of economic boom. The gold rushes were important because the gold wealth benefited the economic development of Australia. The profits people gained were often invested back into the towns and communities with the construction of buildings, houses and roads via the use of taxes, fees, etc. After news went round to people that there was gold to be found in places such as Bathurst and Bendigo, many convicts and non-convicts left their jobs for a chance to find a fortune. Gold was known for it's wealth because of the Californian gold rush that had been happening during the time. Ophir, named after the biblical story about King Solomon's gold city was the place where Edward Hargraves had first found his gold and reported it to everyone. Within months 1000's of excited diggers showed up. As the gold rush went on Bendigo had up to 40,000 people living in tents near the mines and rivers. Life on the gold fields was hard, especially because the diggers worked hard day after day and could not afford the time or money to go and buy food or basic needs. Traders and merchants abused the diggers factors of living and marked up the prices on the gold fields because they knew that if the diggers didn't buy from them they would go hungry. Food on the gold fields varied. Breakfast was commonly porridge and bread. This is because oats and wheat were grown widely across the colonies.
Source Analysis |
1) What can I see?
-People
-Pic Axes
-Lot's of trees
-Mound of dirt
-Clothes
2) What can I infer? I can infer that...
-They are diggers/miners
-They are in Australia
-There group is relatively wealthy (The equipment and uniforms)
-That they have been digging quite deep into the ground (Dirt pile)
-They must be strong, fit and healthy (using pic axes all day, using hats to protect from the sun)
3) What questions do I have?
-Where are they?
-When is this during the gold rush?
-How much would equipment like that have cost?
-Why are they all dressed in the same uniform?
4) What does this tell me about society at the time?
-During the gold rush everyone wanted a chance to not only look for but to find gold.
-People
-Pic Axes
-Lot's of trees
-Mound of dirt
-Clothes
2) What can I infer? I can infer that...
-They are diggers/miners
-They are in Australia
-There group is relatively wealthy (The equipment and uniforms)
-That they have been digging quite deep into the ground (Dirt pile)
-They must be strong, fit and healthy (using pic axes all day, using hats to protect from the sun)
3) What questions do I have?
-Where are they?
-When is this during the gold rush?
-How much would equipment like that have cost?
-Why are they all dressed in the same uniform?
4) What does this tell me about society at the time?
-During the gold rush everyone wanted a chance to not only look for but to find gold.