Important People during the Gold Rush
Playing card games and gambling were considered these types of activities.
What are Saturday Night Activities?
What was the most dangerous type of mining?
Coyote mining
The size of a claim was typically this measurement.
10 by 10. (MATH!)
What was the fastest way to get to the California gold fields?
The Panama Route
Name three things the miners would do to entertain themselves on Saturday nights.
Gamble, dance, and attend local traveling theater shows.
Who was the president that announced gold was found in California?
James Polk
What tool was the cheapest and easiest to use in the gold fields?
A pan
What nickname was given to the California Gold Rush?
The Mother Lode
Bonus: Why was it given this nickname?
Name 2 ways you can get to the gold fields.
By land and by sea.
What did a miner have to do first to start mining for gold?
Stake a claim.
People who really became rich during the gold rush were called what?
Entrepreneurs
Bonus: Who was a famous entrepreneur during the CA gold rush?
How much gold did a miner hope to find in one day?
This mineral is 19 times heavier than water. *MATH*
Name two routes you could take to the gold fields going by sea.
The Cape Horn Route and the Panama Route
Why was living in the gold fields so difficult for the miners?
Because California was not yet a state and they had no government or laws. They had to create their own laws.
Bonus: What year did California become a state?
Who ran through the streets of San Francisco yelling "Gold Gold"?
Sam Brannan
How many men did it take to pan for gold?
What date was gold discovered in California?
January 24, 1848.
What is the name of the trail you could take to the California gold fields?
The Oregon Trail
Why were supplies so expensive during the gold rush?
Because there were no towns established in the area and entrepreneurs raised the prices to make more money for supply in demand.
Bonus: How much was one egg during the gold rush?
How much was a barrel of flour?
Who was the first person to discover gold in California?
James Marshall
Bonus: Where did he find the gold?
This natural resource was vital to panning for gold.
What is water?
Why is gold valuable?
Because it is scarce and easy to mold.
Bonus: What does scarce mean?
What was the greatest cause of death when traveling to the gold fields?
disease
Why were the miners called the 49ers if gold was discovered in California in 1848.
Because news traveled slowly back then and James Polk did not announce the discovery of gold until December of 1848. Therefore, the miners did not "rush" to California until 1849.