Golden Dreams and the Gold Rush

Created by Mrs. Kunkle

Was California truly the Land of Golden Dreams?

• Who came to California during the gold rush?• What was life like for the people that

came to California looking for gold?• How many people actually struck

gold?

Who came to California during the gold rush?

From 1849 to 1864, people from all over the world came to California for the Gold Rush. This resulted in the largest immigration to California in history.

What was life like for the people that came to California looking for gold?

Many endured great hardships in the mining camps. Most miners spent 10 hours a day in freezing waters without finding any gold. Because of these grueling conditions and lack of supplies, many resulted in illness and death.

How many people actually struck gold?

James Marshall found gold on John Sutter’s Mill. When word spread, John Sutter’s land was filled with people from all over the world looking to strike gold.

Some became rich by supplying goods and services to the miners.

Levi Strauss Other Merchants

Actual Accounts

Insight into the lives of the forty-niners have been preserved to fully understand what the Gold Rush was really like. By reading first hand experiences, we get a glimpse of what it would be like to live as a forty-niner.

Vocabulary

1. Abandoned: Deserted or left behind.

2. Profitable: Bringing advantage or monetary gain.

3. Beckons: Attracts or lures by tempting with something desirable.

Vocabulary

4. Fares: Money paid for rides in a ship, bus, train, or airplane.

5. Rugged: Having a rough, uneven, or broken surface.

6. Multicultural: Showing the varied customs, religions, or beliefs of different people.

So, was California truly the Land of Golden Dreams?