By: Mrs. Coates

 Identify examples of conflict and cooperation between occupational and ethnic groups in the West, including miners, farmers, ranchers, cowboys, Mexican and African Americans, and European and Asian immigrants.  Today you will explain details about conflict and cooperation among miners by creating a positive/negative T-chart.

 Conflict: a disagreement, argument, fight  Cooperation: working together  The journey West was difficult and often required groups of people to help one another.  Settlement also brought conflict among groups that competed for access to the natural resources of the region.

 If you were moving out West, what would be some reasons conflict would exist?  Conflict existed because of natural resources.  The kind that were found through mining: Silver and Gold

 The idea of making money from silver and gold discoveries brought many settlers to the West.  People competed with one another to find these and other precious minerals.  It was a “Finders Keepers” kind of society.  People were crazy for silver and gold and this caused many people to ignore laws and rules.

 Many mining companies wanted to find profit in the silver and gold business, too.  They had an advantage in mining compared to settlers that moved to find their own minerals. Equipment and machinery: they had supplies to dig deeper in the ground than a person could and it could do it faster, too.  They competed with settlers to find the richest lands.

 With mining companies and the discovery of precious minerals, towns were quickly built.  Called Boom Towns because they were set up during a boom in mineral discoveries.  These towns were set up to help miners get the supplies (food, clothing) and services (laundry) they needed.  When the natural resources of the area were depleted, the towns were deserted – ghost towns.

 More people traveled West.  People became rich when they found minerals.  Mining companies became successful.  Towns were built.

 Settlers stole from each other.  Settlers competed for land.  Natural resources were depleted.  Towns were deserted.  Some people became more poor.

 With a partner, complete a pair share activity. Partner A: Today I learned, … Partner B: That was a good point. I also learned… Return to Partner A and continue this discussion until time is up. A: bigger hand B: smaller hand