Background Notes

Copper: The earliest inhabitants of Michigan used native copper. Because it is a soft metal they made mostly ornaments from it rather than weapons. They were the state's first miners. Observations by Douglass Houghton in 1821 and 1832 led to one of the biggest and most important mining booms in this country's first century. The Keweenaw Peninsula in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan had heavy deposits of copper. By 1845 copper was being mined.

Iron: In 1844 a survey party headed by William Burt noted wild fluctuations in their magnetic compass. Burt suspected iron deposits and used his solar compass to survey the area. This lead to the discovery of rich iron deposits. The Marquette, Menominee, and Gogebic Ranges in the Upper Peninsula had the main concentrations of iron ore.

1. Ask each student to bring objects from home that are made of either copper or iron and explain what the object is and how it is used. If real objects cannot be found, ask them to find a picture from a catalog or advertisement. Many items will be made from alloys such as brass (copper + zinc), bronze (copper + tin) and steel (iron + carbon).

Background Notes

Although some miners worked independently in the early years, most miners worked for mining companies that paid them for their work. Workers were usually paid in cash. However, sometimes the Upper Peninsula's severe winter weather made it impossible to get the money to the mine to pay the miners. Also, money was scarce during hard times and depressions, including the Panic of 1893. When cash was hard to come by, some mining companies issued their own paper money, called scrip.

The scrip could be used in the company store to buy supplies miners needed for work, such boots or candles. Miners and their families could also buy food and household items with the scrip. Some towns had places where miners could exchange their scrip for U.S. currency for a fee of up to 10% of the amount. The exchanged scrip would then be sold back to the mining company.

Directions

Show students the sample of mining scrip. Discuss with class its use to pay miners when companies were short of cash money. Compare it to a current $5 bill. Discuss how it differs from legal tender (e.g., appearance, not issued by government, not valid at stores that did not have an agreement with the mining company to reimburse it).

Have students select a name for their own "mining company" and design scrip for it in different denominations. Make copies of the scrip to use in the general store.

Plan a company "general store." The store can be stocked with pictures from catalogs and magazines. Each item should be priced. Use nineteenth century prices (see the list below, the Derks and Emmet references, 19th century newspapers and magazines or other resources).

Arrange students into groups to represent mining families with a miner, wife and children. Pay each "miner" his 1893 week's wages with scrip. For example, a miner making $1.43 per day who worked a week of six days receives $8.58. Each "family" should then make a week's shopping list for food and other items. "Families" then go to the company store and do their "shopping." Students report back with their list of purchases and how they decided on the items for the week. Listed below are items with 1893-1895 prices:

Bacon, l lb. $ .14 Butter, 1 lb. .28 Eggs, 1 doz. .22 Flour, 5 lb. .13 Milk, 1/2 gal. delivered .14 Pork chops, 1 lb. .12 Potatoes, 10 lbs. .17 Round steak, 1 lb. .12 Turkey, 1 lb. .10 Miner's shoes, l pair 2.00 Man's hat (black stiff felt) 1.75 Man's heavy knit wool socks, l pair .14 Boy's school outfit (suit, extra pants, hat) 5.00 Vegetable seeds, one packet .25 Cookie cutter .15 Baking powder, 4 oz. can .15 Haviland tea pot (Carnot floral pattern) 1.95 Folding ironing board 1.00 Lady's watch 5.00 Fountain pen 3.50 Ink, 15 oz. bottle .17 Popular American Dictionary .30 Roget's Thesaurus 1.40 Postage stamp [collector's] album 1.05 Portrait scrapbook (photo album) for 30 pictures .10 Parcheesi game 1.35 8-ball croquet set, maple 2.20 Doll with bisque head, long hair, and dress (15.5" tall) .50 Brass bird cage 1.00 Seth Thomas mantle clock 5.75 Face lotion .50 Lady's kid high button walking shoes, 1 pair 2.00 Ladies' white muslin apron with pocket .25 Girl's calico dress (age, 10 yrs.) .60 Ladies' Home Journal magazine (one issue) .10

Questions for Discussion or Research

1. Why might the prices of goods be higher in the Keweenaw area than in Detroit? 2. Would it be possible for other family members to earn money? How? 3. What does the following phrase mean: "I owe my soul to the company store."?

Vocabulary

 Company store: A store founded and operated by the mining company. It would accept the miners' scrip in payment for purchases.  Scrip: Paper currency issued by mining and other companies instead of cash. It was generally spent in the company store.  Wages: That which is paid for work or services. Jobs, Hours and Pay in Michigan Underground Copper Mines in 1924 Average Full- Average Average Full-time Occupation time Hours Per Earnings Per Earnings Per Week Hour Week Blacksmiths (surface & underground) 54.0 $.445 $24.03 Blacksmiths' helpers (surface & 54.0 .354 19.12 underground) Carpenters (surface & underground) 53.9 .425 22.91 Carpenters' helpers (surface & 54.0 .363 19.60 underground) Chute loaders (underground) 48.0 .503 24.14 Compressormen (surface & 56.9 .446 25.38 underground) Drilling machine operators (company 48.0 .557 26.74 miners, underground) Drilling machine operators (contract 48.0 .676 32.45 miners, underground) Drivers (surface) 54.0 .358 19.33 Drivers, mule (underground) 48.0 .400 19.20 Dryhousemen (surface) 55.3 .324 17.92 Electricians (surface & underground) 51.7 .465 24.04 Electricians' helpers (surface & 54.0 .368 19.87 underground) Engineers, stationary (surface) 61.5 .420 25.83 Firemen, stationary (surface) 56.3 .426 23.98 Hoistmen (surface) 53.5 .473 25.31 Hoistmen (underground) 48.0 .428 20.54 Laborers (underground) 48.0 .474 22.75 Loading machine operators 48.0 .413 19.82 (underground) Machinists (surface & underground) 53.8 .478 25.72 Machinists' helpers (surface & 54.0 .377 20.36 underground) Motormen (underground) 48.0 .457 21.94 Muckers (underground) 48.0 .501 24.05 Nippers (underground) 48.0 .342 16.42 Oilers (surface & underground) 54.5 .333 18.15 Ore sorters (surface & underground) 48.0 .412 19.78 Pipemen (surface & underground) 48.5 .481 23.33 Powdermen (underground) 48.0 .463 22.22 Roof trimmers (underground) 48.0 .482 23.14 Skippers (underground) 48.0 .459 22.03 Stationmen (underground) 48.0 .495 23.76 Timbermen (underground) 48.0 .464 22.27 Timbermen's helpers (underground) 48.0 .406 19.49 Tool dressers (surface) 54.0 .401 21.65 Topmen (surface) 54.2 .343 18.59 Trackmen (underground) 48.0 .460 22.08 Trackmen's helpers (underground) 48.0 .413 19.82 Trammers (underground) .551 48.0 26.45 Trip riders (underground) 48.0 .467 22.42 Truck operators (surface) 54.0 .383 20.68 Watchmen (surface) 66.3 .352 23.34 Other employees (surface & 50.1 .497 24.90 underground)

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Monthly Labor Review. Vol. 20, Jan-June 1925. Washington: Government Printing Office, pages 1033-1039. This table is adapted from more extensive data provided in that report.