You are a low-paid bank clerk in New England in early 1849. Local

newspaper headlines are shouting exciting news: “Gold Is Discovered

in California! Thousands Are on Their Way West.” You enjoy hav-

ing a steady job. However, some of your friends are planning to

go West, and you are being infl uenced by their excitement. Your

friends are even buying pickaxes and other mining equipment.

They urge you to go West with them.

Would you go west to seek your fortune in California? Why?

BUILDING BACKGROUND At the end of the Mexican-AmericanWar, the United States gained control of Mexican territories in the West,including all of the present-day state of California. American settle-ments in California increased slowly at first. Then, the discovery of goldbrought quick population growth and an economic boom.

Discovery of Gold Brings SettlersIn the 1830s and 1840s, Americans who wanted to move to Califor-nia started up the Oregon Trail. At the Snake River in present-dayIdaho, the trail split. People bound for California took the southernroute, which became known as the California Trail. This path ranthrough the Sierra Nevada mountain range. American emigrantsand traders on the California Trail tried to cross these mountainsbefore the season’s fi rst snows.

Although many Americans traveled along the California Trail,few actually settled in California. American merchants were usuallymore interested in trading goods made in factories than in estab-lishing settlements. They traded for gold and silver coins, hides,and tallow (animal fat used to make soap and candles) from Mex-ico. California became a meeting ground for traders from Mexicoand the United States.

Before the Mexican-American War, California’s populationconsisted mostly of Mexicans and Native Americans. When Mexico

SECTION4

Key Terms and PeopleJohn Sutter, p. 327

Donner party, p. 327

forty-niners, p. 327

prospect, p. 328

placer miners, p. 328

The California gold rushchanged the future of the West.

1. The discovery of goldbrought settlers to California.

2. The gold rush had a lastingimpact on California’s popula-tion and economy.

If YOU were there...

The California Gold Rush

326 CHAPTER 10

The Big Idea

Main Ideas

What You Will Learn…

HSS 8.8.3 Describe the role of pio-neer women and the new status thatwestern women achieved (e.g., LauraIngalls Wilder, Annie Bidwell; slavewomen gaining freedom in the West;Wyoming granting suffrage to womenin 1869).

8.8.5 Discuss Mexican settlementsand their locations, cultural traditions,attitudes toward slavery, land-grantsystem, and economics.

8.9.4 Discuss the importance of theslavery issue as raised by the annexa-tion of Texas and California’s admis-sion to the union as a free state underthe Compromise of 1850.

“Gold Fever”“Gold fever” brought 80,000 people, like thisminer, to California in 1849 alone. One Califor-nia newspaper captured the excitement: “Thewhole country, from San Francisco to Los Ange-les, and from the sea shore to the base of theSierra Nevadas, resounds with the cry of ‘gold,GOLD, GOLD!’ while the field is left half planted,the house half built, and everything neglectedbut the manufacture of shovels and pickaxes.”Below is a piece of jewelry made from nuggetsfound in California.

Why was everything neglected except for“the manufacture of shovels and pickaxes”?

controlled California, Mexican offi cials did notwant many Americans to settle there. Howev-er, in 1839 they did give Swiss immigrant JohnSutter permission to start a colony. Sutter’sFort, located near the Sacramento River,soon became a popular rest stop for manyAmerican emigrants. These new arrivalspraised Sutter’s hospitality and helpfulness.By the mid-1840s some Anglo Californianswere publishing newspaper advertisementsand guidebooks encouraging other settlersto move West.

TheThe Donner partyDonner party was a group of west-was a group of west-ern travelers who went to California but wereern travelers who went to California but werestranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains dur-stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains dur-ing winter.ing winter. The party began its journey Westin the spring of 1846. Trying to fi nd a short-cut, the group left the main trail and got lost.When the Donner party reached the SierraNevada Mountains, they became trapped byheavy snows. They were stuck and had almostno food.

A rescue party found the starving andfreezing group in February 1847. Of the origi-nal 87 travelers, 42 had died.

Gold in CaliforniaIn January 1848, Sutter sent a carpenternamed James Marshall to build a sawmillbeside a nearby river. While working nearSutter’s Mill, Marshall glanced at the ground.“I reached my hand down and picked it up;it made my heart thump, for I was certain itwas gold.”

Sutter and Marshall agreed to keep thediscovery a secret. However, when they exam-ined the work site the next day, they meta Spanish-speaking Native American workerholding a nugget and shouting, “Oro [gold]!Oro! Oro!”

Sutter’s workers soon quit to searchfor gold. Stories of the discovery rapidlyspread across the country. President Polkadded to the national excitement by con-fi rming the California gold strike in his fare-well message to Congress in December 1848.In 1849 about 80,000 gold-seekers came toCalifornia, hoping to strike it rich. TheseThesegold-seeking migrants to California weregold-seeking migrants to California werecalledcalled forty-ninersforty-niners. As one Iowa woman who

EXPANDING WEST 327

328 CHAPTER 10

left to fi nd gold recalled, “At that time the‘gold fever’ was contagious, and few, old oryoung, escaped the malady [sickness].” Nearly80 percent of the forty-niners were Americans,while the rest came from all over the world.

Most forty-niners braved long and oftendangerous journeys to reach California. Manyeasterners, Europeans, and Asians arrived viasea routes. Midwestern gold-seekers usuallytraveled west in wagon trains. Most forty-niners fi rst arrived in San Francisco. This porttown became a convenient trade center andstopping point for travelers. As a result, itspopulation grew from around 800 in March1848 to more than 25,000 by 1850.

Staking a ClaimFew of the forty-niners had any previousgold-mining experience. The work was dif-fi cult and time-consuming. The forty-ninerswould prospectprospect, or search for goldor search for gold, alongthe banks of streams or in shallow surface

mines. The early forty-niners worked an areathat ran for 70 miles along rivers in northernCalifornia.

The fi rst person to arrive at a site would“stake a claim.” Early miners frequentlybanded together to prospect for gold. Theminers agreed that each would keep a shareof whatever gold was discovered. When onegroup abandoned a claim, more recent arriv-als often took it over, hoping for success.Sometimes, two or more groups arrived inan area at the same time. In the early gold-rush days, before courts were established,this competition often led to confl ict. Occa-sionally, violent disputes arose over compet-ing claims.

Mining methods varied according to thelocation. The most popular method, placer(PLA-suhr) mining, was done along rivers andstreams. Placer minersPlacer miners used pans or other used pans or otherdevices to wash gold nuggets out of loose rockdevices to wash gold nuggets out of loose rockand gravel.and gravel. To reach gold deposits buried in

Staking a Claim

California State Library

EXPANDING WEST 329

the hills, miners had to dig shafts and tunnels.These tasks were usually pursued by miningcompanies, rather than by individuals.

In 1853 California’s yearly gold produc-tion peaked at more than $60 million. Indi-vidual success stories inspired many miners.One lucky man found two and a half poundsof gold after only 15 minutes of work. TwoAfrican American miners found a rich golddeposit that became known as Negro Hillin honor of their discovery. The vast major-ity of miners, however, did not become rich.Forty-niner Alonzo Delano commented thatthe “lean, meager [thin], worn-out and woe-begone [sorrowful] miner . . . might daily be seenat almost every point in the upper mines.”

Life in the Mining CampsMining camps sprang up wherever enoughpeople gathered to look for gold. Thesecamps had colorful names, such as Hang-town or Poker Flat.

Miners in the camps came from manycultures and backgrounds. Most miners wereyoung, unmarried men in search of adven-ture. Only around 5 percent of gold-rushimmigrants were women or children. Thehardworking women generally made goodmoney by cooking meals, washing clothes,and operating boardinghouses. One suchwoman, Catherine Haun, recalled her fi rsthome in California.

“We were glad to settle down and go house-keeping in a shed that was built in a day of lum-ber purchased with the fi rst fee . . . For neighbors,we had a real live saloon. I never have receivedmore respectful attention than I did from theseneighbors.”

—Catherine Haun, quoted in Ordinary Americans,edited by Linda R. Monk

Haun’s husband was a lawyer. He con-cluded that he could make more moneypracticing law than he could panning forgold. He was one of many people who madea good living supplying miners with food,clothing, equipment, and other services.Miners paid high prices for basic necessitiesbecause the large amounts of gold in circula-tion caused severe infl ation in California. Aloaf of bread, for example, might cost 5 centsin the East, but it would sell for 50 to 75 centsin San Francisco. Eggs sometimes sold for $1a piece.

Some settlers took full advantage of theseconditions for free enterprise. Biddy Masonand her family, for instance, had arrived inCalifornia as slaves. A Georgia slaveholderhad brought them during the gold-rush years.Mason quickly discovered that most Califor-nians opposed slavery, particularly in the goldmines. She and her family gained their freedomand moved to the small village of Los Angeles.There she saved money until she could pur-chase some land. Over time, Mason’s propertyincreased in value from $250 to $200,000. Shebecame one of the wealthiest landowners inCalifornia, a community leader, and a well-known supporter of charities.

Miners came to California from around the worldto make their fortune. In the photo on the left,Anglo and Chinese miners work together inAuburn Ravine in 1852. Above, a woman joinsmen to look for gold. Fewer women than menmoved west to search for gold, but the ones thatdid often found greater social and economicopportunity than they had in the east.

Why might people leave their homes and travellong distances in search of gold?

Westward Movementin the United States

330 CHAPTER 10

Immigrants to CaliforniaThe lure of gold in California attracted min-ers from around the world. Many were fromcountries that had seen few immigrants to theUnited States in the past. They were drawn toCalifornia by the lure of wealth. For example,famine and economic hardship in south-eastern China caused many Chinese men toleave China for America. Most hoped to fi ndgreat wealth, and then return home to China.These immigrants were known in Chinese asgam saan haak, or “travelers to Gold Moun-tain.” Between 1849 and 1853 about 24,000Chinese men moved to California. “From farand near we came and were pleased,” wrotemerchant Lai Chun-chuen in 1855.

Chinese immigrants soon discoveredthat many Americans did not welcomethem, however. In 1852, California placeda high monthly tax on all foreign miners.Chinese miners had no choice but to paythis tax if they wanted to prospect for goldin California. Some Chinese workers werethe targets of violent attacks. If the Chinese

miners dared to protest the attacks, the legalsystem favored Americans over immigrants.

Despite such treatment, many Chineseimmigrants still worked in the gold mines.Some looked for other jobs. Others openedtheir own businesses. A newspaper reportedChinese working as “ploughmen, laundry-men, placer miners, woolen spinners andweavers, domestic servants, cigar makers,[and] shoemakers.”

In 1849 alone, about 20,000 immigrantsarrived in California not only from Chinabut also from Europe, Mexico, and SouthAmerica. Like most American gold-seekers,these new arrivals intended to return homeafter they had made their fortunes. Howev-er, many decided to stay. Some began busi-nesses. For example, Levi Strauss, a Germanimmigrant, earned a fortune by makingtough denim pants for miners.

READING CHECK Categorizing What types ofpeople came to California during the gold rush?

Impact on CaliforniaDuring the Spanish and Mexican periodsof settlement, California’s population grewslowly. The arrival of the forty-niners changedthis dramatically.

Population BoomCalifornia’s population explosion made iteligible for statehood only two years afterbeing acquired by the United States. In 1850California became the 31st state.

However, fast population growth had neg-ative consequences for many Californios andCalifornia Native Americans. One earlyobserver of the gold rush described why.

“The Yankee regarded every man but [his ownkind] as an interloper [trespasser], who had noright to come to California and pick up the goldof ‘free and enlightened citizens.’”

—W. Kelly, quoted in The Other Californians,by Robert F. Heizer and Alan F. Almquist

Today California isthe nation’s most

populous state.

THE IMPACT

TODAY

Causes• Americans believe in the idea of manifest destiny.• The United States acquires vast new lands in

the West.• Pathfinders open trails to new territories.• Gold is discovered in California.

Effects• Native Americans are forced off lands.• Americans travel west to settle new areas.• The United States stretches to the Pacific

Ocean.• California experiences a population boom.

EXPANDING WEST 331

Economic GrowthIn addition to rapid population growth, afl ood of new businesses and industries trans-formed California’s economy. Gold miningremained an important part of the state’searly economy. But Californians soon dis-covered other ways to make a living. Farm-ing and ranching, for example, becameindustries for those willing to do the neces-sary hard labor.

California faced an obstacle to growth,though. The state was isolated from the restof the country. It was diffi cult to bring in andship out goods. The answer to the isolationproblem was to bring the railroad all the wayto California. Californians would have towait almost 20 years for that. Completion ofthe transcontinental railroad in 1869 at lastgave Californians the means to grow a stron-ger economy.

READING CHECK Analyzing InformationWhat political effect resulted from California’srapid population growth?

Section 4 Assessment Online QuizKEYWORD: SS8 HP10

Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People 1. a. Recall Why was Sutter’s Mill important?

b. Summarize What types of people participated in theCalifornia gold rush, and how did they take part in it?c. Elaborate What are some possible problems caused bythe arrival of so many new settlers to California?

2. a. Describe How did some people hope to solve theproblem of California’s isolation from the rest ofthe country?b. Draw Inferences What effect did California’s rapidpopulation growth have on Californios and NativeAmericans?c. Evaluate Overall, do you think that the gold rush had apositive or negative effect on California? Explain.

Critical Thinking 3. Evaluating Copy the web diagram below. Use it to show

how the discovery of gold changed California.

FOCUS ON WRITING

4. Describing the California Gold Rush As you read thissection, take note of signifi cant events and effects of thegold rush. Consider also how your fi lm can convey theexcitement of that time in American history.

Discoveryof Gold

San Francisco boomed in theearly years of the gold rush.

What factors led to San Francis-co’s population growth?

San Francisco Grows

SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americansmoved West to create new lives and seizenew opportunities. In the next chapter youwill learn about the Industrial Revolutionin America.

HSS 8.8.3,8.8.5, 8.9.4

America’sGrowth

1850In the 1830s, a new dream began to shape the American mind—manifest destiny. Manifest destiny was the belief that the United States should extend all the way to the Pacifi c Ocean. By 1850, that dream had become a reality. In 1845, the United States annexed Texas. In 1848, it acquired Oregon and the huge Mexican Cession. By 1853, with the Gadsden Purchase, the United States had taken the basic shape it still has today.

Gold FeverThe discovery of gold in California in 1848 set off a massive migration. In 1849 some 80,000 forty-niners headed toward California. San Francisco, located on an excellent natural port, grew quickly as a result.

WashingtonTerritory

OregonTerritory

UtahTerritory

California

New MexicoTerritory

332 CHAPTER 10

History and Geography

Water Rights Water was critical in the dry West. Bitter disputes arose over who had the water rights to streams. Gold Rush miners developed a simple system: whoever used the water first owned the rights to it. In other parts of the West, the community as a whole had a right to use the water source.

Manifest Destiny With the belief that the United States was destined to spread across the continent, called manifest destiny, settlers headed West to tame new lands. Supporters of manifest destiny believed it was God’s will that the United States should expand and spread democracy across North America.

Claimed by Texas

The Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains were a gigantic obstacle to settlers on their way West. Pathfinders like Lt. John C. Frémont traveled widely in the region, making maps and noting possible trails. The South Pass, through which the Oregon Trail ran, was one of the few easy ways through the great chain of mountains.

UnorganizedTerritory

IndianTerritory

Texas

EXPANDING WEST 333

INTERPRETING MAPS

1. Movement Why did San Francisco grow so rapidly?2. Human-Environment Interaction Why was water so

important in the West?

GEOGRAPHY

SKILLS

Social Studies SkillsAnalysis Critical Thinking

Define the Skill

Maps show features on Earth’s surface. These can be physical features, such as mountains and rivers, or human features, such as roads and settlements. Historical maps show an area as it was in the past. Some show how a nation’s boundaries changed over time. Interpreting maps can answer questions about history as well as geography.

Learn the Skill

Follow these steps to gain information from a map.

1 Read the title to determine what the map is about and the time period it covers.

2 Study the legend or key to understand what the colors or symbols on the map mean. Note the map scale, which is used to measure distances.

Interpreting Maps: Expansion3 Note the map’s other features. Maps often con-

tain labels and other information in addition to what is explained in the legend or key.

Practice the Skill

Interpret the map below to answer the following questions about the expansion of the United States.

1. The addition of which territory almost doubled the size of the United States?

2. What was the smallest expansion of U.S. bor-ders, and when did it take place?

3. According to the map, when did California become part of the United States?

4. What choice of overland routes did a traveler have for getting to California?

5. What physical obstacles does the map show such a traveler would face?

334 CHAPTER 10

ParticipationStudy

SanFrancisco Independence

d

Oregon Trail

Old

Spanish Trail

California Trail

Santa

Fe Trail

RO

CK

Y

MO

UN

TAIN

S

90˚W110˚W

30˚N

40˚N

80˚W

Gulf of Mexico

California Trail

Oregon Trail

Santa

Fe Trail

Old

Spanish Trail

RO

CK

Y

MO

UN

TAIN

S

LosAngeles

SanFrancisco Independence

Portland

ATLANTICOCEAN

PACIFICOCEAN

N

S

W

E

United States, 1783

Louisiana Purchase, 1803

Red River Basin, 1818

Spanish Cession, 1819

Texas Annexation, 1845

Oregon Country, 1846

Mexican Cession, 1848

Gadsden Purchase, 1853

Disputed Territory

0 300 600 Miles

0 300 600 Kilometers

Growth of the United Statesto 1853

CS3 Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features.

EXPANDING WEST 335

CHAPTER

Reviewing Vocabulary,Terms, and PeopleIdentify the correct term or person from the chapter thatbest fi ts each of the following descriptions.

1. Mexican priest who led a rebellion for indepen-dence from Spain

2. Spanish colonists in California

3. A group of pioneers who were stranded in theSierra Nevada Mountains and struggled to sur-vive the winter

4. Agents hired by the Mexican government toattract settlers to Texas

5. The belief that the United States was meantto expand across the continent to the PacificOcean

6. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

7. Fur traders and trappers who lived west of theRocky Mountains and in the Pacific Northwest

8. Mexican ruler who fought to keep Texas fromgaining independence

9. Swiss immigrant who received permission fromMexico to start a colony in California

10. Western trail from Missouri to New Mexicothat was an important route for trade betweenAmerican and Mexican merchants

Comprehension andCritical ThinkingSECTION 1 (Pages 308–311)

11. a. Identify What different groups of peopletraveled West?

b. Draw Conclusions Why did Brigham Youngmove the Mormon community to Utah?

c. Predict What are some possible problemsthat might result from American settlement inthe West?

Standards ReviewCHAPTER10Visual SummaryUse the visual summary below to help you reviewthe main ideas of the chapter.

1840 Pioneersbegin traveling Weston the Oregon Trail.

1839 Sutter’sFort established.

1845 United Statesannexes Texas.

1846Mexican War begins.

1848 UnitedStates wins theMexican War andgains the MexicanCession. Oregonbecomes a U.S.territory.

1849 Californiagold rush begins.

1853 GadsdenPurchase establishesthe southwesternU.S. border.

U.S. Expansion

HSS 8.8.2

90˚W

110˚W

120˚W

0˚N

0˚N

40˚N

80˚W

Gulf of Mexico

RO

CK

YM

OU

NT

AI N

SLosAngeles

SanFrancisco

Portland

ATLANTICOCEAN

PACIFICOCEAN

TEXASANNEXATION

1845

GADSDENPURCHASE

1853

MEXICANCESSION

1848

OREGONCOUNTRY

1846

N

S

WE

336 CHAPTER 10

SECTION 2 (Pages 312–315)

12. a.Identify Who were Stephen F. Austin andAntonio López de Santa Anna?

b.Draw Conclusions Why did settlers in Texasrebel against Mexican rule?

c.Elaborate In what ways was the Texas strugglefor independence similar to that of the UnitedStates?

SECTION 3 (Pages 316–325)

13. a. Recall Why were some Americans opposed tothe annexation of new territories?

b. Draw Conclusions What economic andcultural influences did Native Americans andMexican Americans have on American settlersin the Mexican Cession?

c. Predict What are some possible problems theacquisition of so much territory might cause theUnited States?

SECTION 4 (Pages 326–331)

14. a. Identify What roles did women andimmigrants play in the California gold rush?

b. Make Inferences Why were most gold-rushsettlers young, unmarried men?

c. Predict What long-term effects might thegold rush have on California’s future?

Reviewing Themes 15. Economics What role did economics play in

the desire of Americans to go West?

16. Geography What were the main trails to theWest, and what areas did they pass through?

Reading SkillsSummarizing Use the Reading Skills taught in thischapter to answer the question about the readingselection below.

The war ended after Scott took Mexico City. InFebruary 1848, the United States and Mexicosigned the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,whichofficially ended the war and forced Mexico toturn over much of its northern territory to theUnited States. (p. 323)

17. Summarize the selection at the bottom ofcolumn one in one sentence.

Social Studies SkillsInterpreting Maps: Expansion Use the SocialStudies Skills taught in this chapter to answer thequestion about the map below.

18. According to the map, place the following inthe order in which they were acquired by theUnited States.

a. Oregon Country c. Mexican Cession

b. Gadsden Purchase d. Texas annexation

FOCUS ON WRITING

19. Writing an Outline for a Documentary FilmLook back through all your notes, and chooseone topic from this chapter that you thinkwould make a good 10-minute documentary.Your outline should be organized by scene (nomore than 3 scenes), in chronological order.For each scene, give the following information:main idea of scene, costumes and images to beused, audio to be used, and length of scene. Asyou plan, remember that the audience will bestudents your own age.

The United States in 1853

HSS 8.8.6

HSS 8.8.5, 8.8.6

HSS 8.8.3, 8.8.5, 8.9.4

W

X

Y

Z

ATLANTICOCEAN

PACIFICOCEAN

The United Statesin 1818

N

S

WE

Gulf ofMexico

0 300 600 Miles

0 300 600 Kilometers

EXPANDING WEST 337

DIRECTIONS: Read each question and write theletter of the best response. Use the map below toanswer question 1.

!

The part of the present-day United Statesthat was once claimed by Britain, Spain, andRussia is shown on the map by the letterA W.

B X.

C Y.

D Z.

@ In general, what position did Californiostake toward the Mexican War?A They supported the war because they wanted

independence from Mexico.

B They supported the war because they wantedto become U.S. citizens.

C They opposed the war because they feared itmight bring an end to slavery.

D They opposed the war because they did notwant to lose control of California.

# What was the main reason John JacobAstor founded Astoria at the mouth of theColumbia River in 1811?A Plenty of freshwater and saltwater fi sh were

available for residents to eat.

B The soil there was rich and good for farming.

C Trappers could use the river to bring furs fromthe mountains to trade.

D The location offered easy protection fromattacks by Native Americans or the French.

$ The main attraction of Texas for many Ameri-cans in the 1820s and 1830s was theA freedom to practice the Catholic faith.

B availability of cheap or free land.

C desire to become citizens of Mexico.

D Mexican rebellion against Spain.

% Which of the following was not due to theMexican-American War?A Mexican foods and festivals became more

important to American culture.

B Prosperity of Mexican landowners in the South-west increased under U.S. rule.

C Mexican Americans introduced new ideas andequipment to the United States.

D The size of the United States increased byabout 25 percent.

Connecting with Past Learnings

^ In a previous chapter you learned that Puri-tans traveled to the Americas in search ofreligious freedom. Which group had similarmotives for its migration to the West?

A Californios

B empresarios

C mountain men

D Mormons

& In Grade 7 you learned of explorers whoraced to fi nd wealth during the Age ofExploration. Which group below was mostsimilar to these explorers?

A the Donner party

B forty-niners

C Mexican Americans

D Calilfornios

Standards Assessment

338 UNIT 3

AssignmentWrite a paper explaining thecauses or the effects of theWar of 1812.

T I P Using a Graphic OrganizerUse a graphic organizer like this toorganize your research.

Cause 1

Cause 2

Event or Situation

Effect

Effect

Cause and Effectin HistoryHistorians try to make sense of an event by considering

why the event happened and what resulted from it.Exploring causes and effects can provide a deeper under-standing of historical events and how they are connectedto one another.

1. PrewriteIdentifying Causes and EffectsA cause is an action or a situation that makes something else hap-pen. What happens is called an effect. For example, if you stay up toolate watching TV (cause), you might find yourself nodding off in class(effect). Often an event or situation will have several causes as well asseveral effects. In those cases, we may look at the order in which thecauses or effects occurred, or we may look at their relative importance.

Researching and OrganizingFor this paper, you will write about the causes or the effects of the event—the War of 1812. Gather information from the chapter in this text-book, an encyclopedia, or another source recommended by your teacher.

■ Look for two or three reasons (causes) why the War of 1812 (theevent or situation) occurred.

■ At the same time, consider the war as a cause. Look for two orthree effects of the war.

Then choose whether to write about the causes or the effects.

2. WriteYou can use this framework to help you write your first draft.

Introduction■ Begin with a quote or interesting fact

about the event.■ Identify the event you will discuss.

[The War of 1812]■ Identify whether you will be

discussing the causes or the effects.

Body■ Present the causes or effects in

chronological (time) order or orderof importance.

■ Explain each cause or effect in itsown paragraph, providing supportwith facts and examples.

Conclusion■ Summarize your ideas about the

causes or the effects of the event[the war].

A Writer’s Framework

ELA Writing 8.2.0 Students writenarrative, expository, persuasive, anddescriptive essays of at least 500 to700 words.

3. Evaluate and ReviseEvaluatingDrawing clear, logical connections is the key to writing about causesand effects. Use these questions to evaluate and revise your paper.

Evaluation Questions for an Explanation of Causes or Effects

■ Does the introduction begin with aninteresting quotation or fact?

■ Does the introduction identify theevent [the war] and the causes orevents to be discussed?

■ Is each cause or effect explained inits own paragraph?

■ Do facts and examples help toexplain each cause or effect andconnect it to the event [the war]?

■ Are the causes or effects organizedclearly—by chronological order ororder of importance?

■ Does the conclusion summarizethe causes or effects and theirimportance?

RevisingMake sure the connections between the war and its causes or effectsare clear by sharing your paper with a classmate. If your classmate isconfused, add background information. If he or she disagrees withyour conclusions, add evidence or rethink your reasoning.

4. Proofread and PublishProofreadingSome transitional words and phrases need to be set off from thesentence with commas. Here are two examples:

■ The Louisiana Territory was a huge region of land. As a result, the sizeof the United States almost doubled when the land was purchased.

■ Jefferson wanted to know more about the land he had purchased.Therefore, he asked Congress to fund an expedition.

Check your paper to see if you need to add commas after or aroundany transitional words or phrases.

PublishingGet together with a classmate and share causes and/or effects. Com-pare your lists to see whether you have identified different causes oreffects. Share your findings with your class.

5. Practice and ApplyUse the steps and strategies outlined in this workshop to write yourexplanation of the causes or effects of the War of 1812.

T I P Recognizing False Cause-and-Effect In planning your essay,be careful to avoid false cause-and-effect relationships. The factthat one thing happened beforeor after another doesn’t mean onecaused the other. For example,the fact that James Madison waselected in 1808, just four yearsbefore the War of 1812, does notmean his election caused the Warof 1812.

T I P Using Transitions Hereare some transitional wordsand phrases that show cause oreffect relationships: because, asa result, therefore, for, since, so,consequently, for this reason

THE NEW REPUBLIC 339