At the beginning the Gold Rush, many Native Americans worked the mines. As more and more Americans came from the east, the Native American miners were driven away. Miners who came from other countries were subjected to the Foreign Miners' Tax Law of 1850. The law was designed to drive Mexican and Chinese immigrants away from mining.
Read more about the economic conflicts here.
What factors combined to make San Francisco such a busy town? Collaborate with your group on a Google Doc to answer the question.
