The making of America: gold miners in the west. Flashcards
california: in 1847 who sent who to what river in california to build what?
john sutter. james marshall. america river. build a saw mill.
california: when was gold discovered and by who?
January 24 1848. marshall.
california: what did john sutter decide to do when he got told about the gold and why?
got told by marshall to keep it a secret because he didn’t want lots of people flooding there to try to find the gold.
california: who decided to act on the rumours of the gold, what was this original job, where did he spread the rumours, what evidence did he provide and how did he promote the rumours?
sam brannan. craftsman. san fransisco. collected some gold dust. told people in the streets.
california: how did sam brannan earn money from the gold rush?
selling mining tools to people at $15 after buying all other tools for 20 cents.
california: how much did sam brannan get after 9 weeks?
$36,000.
california: what event allowed people to believe the rumours in the west that there was a gold rush and when?
president james polk validated discovery of gold in early december 1848.
california: when was the gold rush/ surge?
1848-49.
california: what type of news was it?
international.
california: where did people come from to take part in the rush?
euroupe, mexico, china.
california: how did the gold miners get to california?
sailed around the tip of south america.
california: how did levi strauss make money without digging for gold?
sold hardwearing denim trousers to miners.
california: how did nancy gooch manage to improve her life through the gold rush?
brought her son out of slavery.
cook and washer woman for miners.
california consequences: how were chemicals used to get gold?
dissolve worthless minerals and release gold.
california consequences: what happened to indigenous people?
worked at diggings. exploited- used as cheap labour. murdered.
california consequences: how did water damage the land?
hill sides eaten away by high powered water to release quartz from hills, clogged the river with rocks and gravel. flooding.
pike’s peak: what were the dates of the gold rush?
1858-59.
pike’s peak: how did railway lines help people get to the pike’s peak gold rush?
helped people travel from east to St joseph with ease.
pike’s peak: why did towns lie about how easy it was to get to pike’s peak from their route?
can gain money- shops, restaurants, inn’s and brothels etc.
boost economy.
pike’s peak: what happened to daniel blue as he tried to get to pike’s peak?
ate one of the party members and half of his own brother before someone found him and helped him back to a town.
pike’s peak consequences: how did kansas become a state because of the gold rush?
growth in population.
pike’s peak consequences: why did tensions between white americans and native americans get worse now?
white americans wanted to settle on plains.
what are the similarities between the two gold rushes?
1) indigenous peoples needs were put second/ exploited.
2) people could gain money- selling equipment & profiting off miners.
3) mass migration- relatively short period of time.
4) clashes between native americans and gold rush people- crossing plains and therefore breaking treaties signed in 1851 & 1853.
what are the differences between the two gold rushes?
1) no help in travel- railway lines for pike’s california had wagons.
2) california sold item’s to help miners for profit and pike’s people offered services.
3) california- destroyed countryside.
4) california tried to keep it a secret.
