California Gold Rush | Gold Mountains | 5

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 8 February 2023

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

News of the 1848 discovery of gold in California spread quickly, and thousands of Chinese migrants flocked to California to seek a better life in the place they called "Gold Mountain." But the reality awaiting them was a far cry from streets paved with gold. Despite facing racism and incredible hardship, many ultimately found opportunities to prosper in the Golden State. On today’s show, author and historian Lisa See joins host Lindsay Graham to discuss the Chinese experience of the gold rush, and her own family’s journey to California, which she chronicled in her book On Gold Mountain.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:09.6	Imagine it's a summer evening in Sacramento in 1851.
0:21.3	You're a barber, and you're finally closing up your small shop after a long day of cutting
0:26.4	hair.
0:27.4	You hum a familiar tune from your childhood back in China as you sweep up the clippings.
0:32.4	You're looking forward to a quick dinner and then head in the bed.
0:36.0	Behind your shop you have a small back room with a bed and a stove.
0:39.3	It's not much, but it's better than the flimsy tent you lived in when you first arrived
0:43.0	in California.
0:44.3	You went straight to the gold fields, but white claim jumpers kept harassing you.
0:49.0	When you'd finally had enough, you quit mining and used your meager savings to open up
0:53.3	this barber shop instead.
0:55.8	This is your finishing up.
0:57.7	Customer owners, a white miner with a thick beard, streaked with gray.
1:02.0	I need a haircut.
1:03.4	Sorry, I'm closed.
1:05.1	Maybe your English ain't so good.
1:06.4	I need a haircut.
1:08.0	I understand you, but it's past eight.
1:10.5	I'll be open again in the morning.
1:12.4	Well, I can't wait till morning.
	...

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