How did the women benefit during the gold rush?

Answer 1

There was great demand for entertainment of all sorts from not only the diggers but also th large numbers who provided support services to the mining industry. Also the overall increase in prosperity flowed on to the families of miners and in the support industries.

Answer 2

In this time in history women had no rights like they do today. The Gold Rush was in 1850 and at this time women didn't have the right to vote, couldn't attend college, own land or businesses. They were treated as second class citizens and had to have a husband, father, uncle, or other male to handle their money, bank accounts, and other matters. Even as late as 1971 a woman couldn't have a individual credit card in her name and it was worse in 1850. Most women only had two or three ways to earn money. They could teach, do laundry, become a seamstress, or go into the sex trade. When left a widow or alone these were their only means of support. Imagine trying to survive as a single parent. During the civil war( 1860) millions of women were left alone because of the men fighting in the war and through the death of husbands, fathers, guardians. In the battle of Gettysburg 53,000 men died and that means the women were also left alone without support or rights. There was no help from the government. Even today women earn less than men. A woman earns .77 cents on the dollar compared to a man. The number of women in Congress today is only about 2 dozen out of the 535 people elected. There is an handful of women as governors or CEO's of corporations. Today, reproductive rights of women are also under attack as well as individual rights that women have earned in modern history. The battle for equality still goes on.

Answer 3

Very few women benefited in the gold rush. The men left wives and children home to seek gold, so in 1850 that meant the women left had to take care of the farm and children. They weren't allowed to work, have a bank account, get loans, or even go to school. Only 8%of the population in California was female in 1850. In mining country women were deemed to be "good" or "bad". The good women provided domestic servants to the miners like cooking, laundry, and boarding houses. The bad were prostitutes who were everywhere men were. One prostitute reported earnings of 50,000 in a few months. A female cook wrote in 1852, " I have made about 18,000 worth of pies. I bake about 1,200 pies per month and clear 200." Other cooks made 30.00 a day and a laundress could make twice as much.

Answer 4

Women saw many new business opportunities by the needs of men in the camps. Women found business success by doing laundry, mending clothing, and cooking for men in the camps.

Answer 5

The women wanted to be wealthy too; They helped their husbands.

Answer 6

because