In 1828 J. Humphrey Bissell, of Charleston, bought part of the McComb Mine and brought with him not only new technology but also
“men experienced in South American mining.” At one Charlotte mine that employed almost a thousand workers, thirteen different languages were spoken. Count Vincent de Rivafinoli, an Italian aristocrat and experienced mining engineer, was one of the most cultured and flamboyant foreigners in Charlotte. As head of the Mecklenburg Gold Mining Company, he brought in as many as eighty expert miners from England, Germany, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, and France.
–“The North Carolina Gold Rush,”
Rebecca Lewis
Which statement best summarizes the main idea of this passage?
Mining benefited some parts of the state, but Charlotte was not one of them.
Mining helped Charlotte grow in terms of population, technology, and industry.
Almost all gold mines were small and employed only a handful of workers.
Most gold mines were owned by Americans, and few immigrants took part in mining.
