The Klondike Gold Rush - Research Paper Example

The Klondike Gold Rush Introduction The Klondike gold rush also known as Yukon gold rush or Alaska gold rush was process of commuting to the Klondike region to search for gold. The activity took place between 1897 and 1899 and involved approximately 100,000 people from all over the world but most specifically traders from Seattle and San Francisco.1 The journey involved travelling very long distance and carrying very heavy load. Commuting to Alaska involved use of ships for rich people and walking for the common people. The Klondike gold rush enriched many traders and most specifically the first four thousand traders who went there and acquired the areas with rich deposits of gold. The Klondike gold rush ended in 1899 after the discovery of another gold mine in Nome. The trade had a very remarkable impact to the economic and social conditions of people who resided in Seattle and Washington States. 2 The cultural beliefs were totally altered by the trade due to the introduction of foreign beliefs and ideologies. The economic input of the trade in these two states was equally significant. The essay below focuses on the outputs and benefits of gold trade to the Seattle and Washington state. Economic and Social Impact The Klondike gold mine changed the ways of living as well as the economic conditions of the people who resided in Seattle and by large the Washington state. The trade led to the development and growth of timber market in the Seattle state. The ship industry in the Seattle state expanded due to the increase in the number of traders who used ships to commute to Alaska.3The trade also led to the immigration of people to Seattle from North of Columbia between the 1850s and 1860s. In 1850s, the gold rush to the Fraser River brought many California people to the North West, which led to the establishment of the mining industry that supplied gold to merchant in Victoria, Seattle, and Vancouver. It is the Klondike gold trade that led to the development of railway network in the Seattle state. As a result, the development of the railway network in Seattle was the facilitating factor which led to the development and growth of fish, timber, and wheat industries in the Northern part of the country. Additionally, the large number of immigrants to the area led to the immense development of the state. 4 As a result of discovery of gold rush trade in Klondike, the chamber of commerce of Seattle state met to discuss how to benefit from the trade. They planned to promote the state to an outfit center for the Northern goldfield. They formed a panel to advertise the state to the gold traders as well as other interested traders. The bureau was also mandated with the responsibility of encouraging local traders to join the trade for the benefit of the state. There was a huge campaign to inform the gold traders that Seattle was the only gate way to Alaska. The campaign has a very positive outcome because the Seattle state managed to attract more than three quarters of the gold seekers into their stores. Within the first three months of the trade, more than 15000 miners were using the Seattle resources in their trade. 5 The other business persons who operated in Seattle sold meat, clothes, and dried fruits to gold seekers. The city buildings and infrastructures also benefited from the gold trade. The houses, hotels, and other residential houses were overbooked by gold traders. This led to the construction of more houses to accommodate the traders. More job opportunities were created by increasing numbers of hotels, restaurants, and other related businesses. There was increase in the amount of money which was circulating in the Seattle state. In 1987, the state was trading with approximately $36 million. This increased to $ 68 million in 1898 and in 1899, the amount of money which were operating in Seattle rose to over$100 million. 6 In 1898, the Seattle chamber of commerce decided to increase the trade benefit by establishing an assay office. The idea was to help the state benefit from the traders who returned from mining. Initially, the assay offices were at San Francisco. The presence of the assay office in Seattle implied that, the gold from Alaska could be tested and valued in Seattle. After valuation, the gold could be exchanged with currency. The exchange of the gold with currency boosted the economy of the Seattle state very significantly. This was because the money, gold, and the spending power went straight to the state economy. Due to the increase in flow of the money in the state, Seattle rose in status and become very important state in the world. The road network from both great North and Northern pacific used a lot of their resources in improving the waterfront facilities and equipment to necessitate the handling of ships which transported the gold to their railway facilities. The railway industry also expanded to other states thus opened the Seattle estate to other areas. 7 After capturing the gold trade in Alaska, the Seattle state went further and established economic ties with Alaska City. The Seattle city acquired the Alaska as it hinterland. Alaska was used by the Seattle state as a source of the raw materials for its industries and as a market for Seattle products and commerce. The state used the wealth which was acquired from the gold trade, other businesses and commerce to improve its status to the level of leading national metropolis. By the early 1990, the city started developing its infrastructures. The city engineers planned for the upgrading process to extend and expand the city into a big commercial district. The development opened the city to other nearby cities due to the construction of infrastructures such as roads, ship infrastructures, and railway networks. The Seattle estate benefited a lot out of the new trade tie with the Alaska city. 8In 1909, there was the establishment of Alaska-Yukon-pacific exposition. The AYPE recognized Seattle as the center for international trade system which linked the city and its North hinterland as well as creating connection with Asian- Hawaii -Philippine trade. The development of Alaska which was the effort of the traders in Seattle traders’ boosted the economic status of a Seattle state because the development of the Alaska meant wealth went back to Seattle Economic and Social Benefit of the Trade to the Seattle State The trade enhanced and expanded the state transportation and communication networks. The trade took place in the 1898 where the traders used modern means of transport. The trade facilitated expansion of railway network to enhance faster transportation of gold. The development of modern railway network enhanced quick transportation of gold and other trading goods. On the other hand, telegraph was developed to enhance quick and effective communication. Therefore, the development of transportation and communication networks enhanced development in the state. The transportation network which was put in place during the trade was used in the 20th century to enhance trade and other development in the state. 9The Klondike gold trade led to the expansion and development of routes and connections from the Seattle states to other important areas. There was development of both earth and water routes which connected many areas of the world. The trade routes also facilitated massive trade of gold to the world potential areas. The trade’s routes which were established and developed during the gold trade were very essential in 20th century as they served as trade routes for the Seattle state productions. Additionally, the already established trade market was very profitable in 20th century for the Seattle state. The state also used the established trade routes during the First World War in 20th century to conduct their businesses with neighboring states The huge number of people who migrated to Seattle state during the gold trade fastened economic development. They provided ready market for the available services and good produced in the state. The hotels, restaurants, and accommodation house earned a lot out of immigrants in the state. They also came with new economic development oriented ideas which were of great benefit to the Seattle economy. The large number of population also converged resources from other places into the Seattle state. Traders got the gold from the Alaska state and traded them in the Seattle economy. The inclusion of foreign resources was the main pillar which enhanced the development of the state economy. Additionally, the immigrant into the state provided ready market and labor to the state economy in the 20th century after the end of the gold trade. 10 Socially, the living standard of the Seattle state improved tremendously. Many people earned a lot of resources from the trade. There was movement of people from the rural areas to urban areas for trade. The number of people who resided in urban areas raised hence hiked the cost of living in urban areas. Trees and other natural resources were cut down during the trade to create more room for construction of building and trading center for gold. There emerged various social classes in the state. The gold trading class was the richest and occupied the upper level of social class. The middle class contained the employees who worked in the gold industries and other companies. There was also lower class which contained the casual workers. 11 Additionally, the state culture changed completely. The way of living among the Seattle people was completely altered by foreign ideologies. The immigrant into the state led to the emergence of very unique subcultures in the area which was quit different with the traditional one. The movement of people to the urban area forced people to forfeit their culture beliefs because of interacting with multiple cultures in urban areas. On the other hand, the wealth acquired from the trade played a very remarkable role in changing the culture of the people. Many residents acquired formal education which enlightened then hence forced them to underrate their native cultural beliefs. The education and the improved living standards which were in calculated by the gold trade enhanced social development in the state in the 20th century. This was so, as educated people looked for formal jobs from the state cooperate and other cooperates from other developed states. 12 The Economic and Social Benefits of Klondike Gold Trade to the Washington State The Klondike gold trade was responsible of migration of mammoth number of people into Washington State for trade, education and employment. Alaska residences were forced by traders to move from their native lands to urban areas. They sold their land to give room for extraction of the gold. The high population which moved to Washington improved the work force in the state. The increased work force led to the reduction in the labor cost which led to the economic development. On the other hand, the trade and commerce in the state improved tremendously. There were many willing and able buyers on the available products. The improvement in trade facilitated the development of the state economy. The immigrant into the state also brought with them the resources which they acquired from the Klondike trade hence increased the resources in the country. 13 Washington was also benefited from the tourists business in Alaska. Since Alaska City was not developed, tourist from Spain, Germany, and England resided in Washington. Tourist brought foreign currency into the state thus enhancing economic development. Hotels, restaurant, and accommodation rooms’ businessmen acquired a lot of resources from the tourists. There was construction of many hotels and accommodation rooms to accommodate tourist in the area. Additionally, the tourist who toured Alaska visited some of the Washington state reserve areas. Therefore, the Klondike trade acted as an avenue for attracting tourist into Washington State. The tourist business during those times extended to the 20th century. 14 Socially, it is out of Klondike gold trade that Washington emerged as a multiethnic state. The many people who migrated into the state for gold trade acquired from the Alaska settled permanently. They intermingled with the original residents in the state and formed new subcultures. Additionally, the economic development in the Washington state enhances the improvement of the social amenities in the state. The qualities of services offered in the state hospitals improved tremendously. Due the increase in the number of population in the area, there was congestion in the middle class residential areas. This led to overpopulation which risked the health of those who lived in those areas. Furthermore, many religions beliefs emerged as a result of Klondike rush gold trade. Emigrant came with different religions which were adopted by the states residents. The social changes which emerged as a result of Klondike trade continued and were relevant even in the 20th century. 15 Conclusion In conclusion, the trade not only shaped the economic and social conditions of the people who resided in Seattle and Washington at those particular times, but it directed the future social and economic destiny of the two states. The infrastructures and the wealth which were initiated by the trade had a recognizable milestone to the two states modern development. The economic important of the two states to the economy of United States of America has its bases from the trade. The legend of the trade is a very important reference to the economic and social development of Seattle and Washington states Endnotes Read More