Gold Rush Information

1. The California Gold Rush

2. January 24, 1848
• The California gold
rush began when gold
was discovered at
Sutter’s Mill
• As the news of
discovery spread,
some 300,000 people
came to California
from the rest of the
United States and
abroad

3. Click here to view a treasure map and see the destinations of the 49ers
These early gold
seekers called “49ers”
traveled to California by
sailing ships and
covered wagons across
the continent.

4. Journey by land
Please click on the link • What were the names of the
major trails taken?
above. When you get • How long did the overland trip
to the website click on typically take? How far would
Part 1, and then they travel in one day?
• What were two landmarks
“Journey by land.” passed by the travelers?
Read the page and in • What was the cost for a family
small groups answer of four?
• What supplies might they have
and discuss the taken?
questions to the right.

5. Journey by sea
Please click on the link • What was the cost per person
to travel by sea?
above. When you get • What were some changes
to the website click on made to cargo ships to
Part 1, and then transport passengers?
• What were some supplies they
“Journey by sea.” might have taken?
Read the page and in • What were some problems
small groups answer with these supplies?
• What were some diseases
and discuss the common to the Panama route?
questions to the right.

6. Gold Rush Video
Now take out a piece of • Who discovered the first gold
nugget?
paper and click on the • Why were the gold seekers called
link above to watch a “49ers?”
short video. When you • What were some reasons that
get to the website search most prospectors did not strike it
rich?
for “The California Gold
• How long did the California gold
Rush” then click on “video rush last?
segments” and play the • What was the total amount in
7th video down called dollars found in gold after the gold
rush was over?
“California Gold Rush.”
During the video answer
the questions to the right

7. Techniques for retrieving gold
• At first a technique called • Hydraulic mining was
panning was used to later invented in
retrieve gold from California. This technique
streams and riverbeds. was created for larger
scale gold mining

8. Samuel Brannan
• Samuel Brannan was the first
millionaire because of the
California gold rush
• Brannan established the first
newspaper in San Francisco
called the California Star and also
established the first school in San
Francisco
• Brannan was elected to the
California State Senate in 1853.
He was also credited with
developing banks, railroads, and
telegraph companies.
• To learn more about Samuel Brannan cli

9. The negative effects of the gold
rush
Native Americans Many people that
became the victims of journeyed to California
disease, starvation, and from around the world
genocidal attacks. never made it.
- The Donner party- A total of 87
- The Native American people from various families
population in 1845 set out for California and
was 150,000 became snowbound in the
Sierra Nevada. Only 48 of the
- The Native American original 87 pioneers survived.
population in 1870 To read the Donner party journals and learn more
was less than 30,000.

10. The positive effects of the gold rush
• Towns and cities All of these
were charted developments led to the
• Roads, schools, and statehood of California
churches were on September 9th, 1850
formed as the 31st state.
• Improved
transportation
between California
and the east coast