Gold Rush

Multiple Choice

What discovery initiated the California Gold Rush?

• Silver

• Gold

• Diamonds

• Copper

Multiple Choice

Who confirmed the discovery of gold in California in 1848?

• James Wilson

• John Sutter

• President Polk

• A newspaper reporter

Multiple Choice

What was a significant consequence of the Gold Rush for California's population?

• Population decreased

• No impact on population

• A population explosion that allowed the territory to apply for statehood.

• A slight increase in permanent population.

Multiple Choice

In the absence of any law enforcement, how was crime addressed?

• People just hid in fear.

• Citizens form vigilante groups

• Citizens asked President Polk to send in the U.S. Army

• They didn't do anything.

Multiple Choice

What event initially sparked the California Gold Rush in May 1848?

• The New York Herald's announcement

• Sam Brann finding a gold flake at Sutter's Creek

• 30,000 people gathering on the plains

• Ms. Wimmer testing gold with lye soap

Multiple Choice

How did Ms. Wimmer verify the authenticity of Marshall's gold discovery?

• She weighed the nugget to confirm it was 1/3 ounce

• She sent it to a professional assayer

• She used a lye soap solution overnight

• She compared it to other gold samples

Multiple Choice

What negative effect did the Gold Rush have on California's agricultural sector?

• Increased crop production

• Better cattle management

• More organized farming

• Agricultural workers abandoned their jobs to search for gold

Multiple Choice

What was one major challenge faced by those who chose the sea route to California?

• Encounters with hostile Native American tribes

• Multiple seasickness and bug-infested food issues

• Crossing dangerous mountain ranges

• Running out of drinking water in the desert

Multiple Choice

The people who went to California seeking gold were known as:

• Gold diggers

• Prospectors

• Trail blazers

• Forty-Niners

Multiple Choice

What characterized the daily work of gold seekers in California?

• Short working hours with frequent breaks

• Primarily evening work to avoid the heat

• Backbreaking labor from dawn until dusk

• Casual prospecting during midday hours

Multiple Choice

How did merchants fare during the Gold Rush compared to miners?

• Merchants and miners earned equal profits

• Merchants earned less than miners

• Merchants did better by selling supplies to miners

• Miners consistently outperformed merchants financially

Multiple Choice

What significant demographic change occurred in California between 1848 and 1850?

• The population decreased by 1,000 people

• The population grew from 6,500 to over 92,000

• The population remained stable at 20,000

• The population only grew by 500 people

Multiple Choice

What was one of the legal measures taken to restrict Chinese immigration during this period?

• The Panama Star Act

• The Mining Tools Act

• The Foreign Miners Tax

• The Immigration Freedom Act

Multiple Choice

Who invented jeans?

• Jacob Davis

• Levi Strauss

• A tailor

• A gold digger

Multiple Choice

What did Levi Strauss initially sell to the gold diggers?

• Gold nuggets

• Canvas fabric

• Denim shirts

• Leather boots

Multiple Choice

What innovation did Jacob Davis suggest to improve the jeans?

• Adding zippers

• Using denim

• Strengthening pockets with rivets

• Making them longer