Why didn't Jack and Praiseworthy take a bath at the hotel?

• The hotel ran out of water.

• It cost too much for them to pay for the baths.

• The hotel had only one bathroom and there was a long line.

Answer explanation

Water was very expensive. It was cheaper to wait for the rainy season.

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.4

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

Why was the miner following Praiseworthy and Jack?

• The miner liked Jack’s haircut and wanted to know where he got it.

• The miner wanted to sell them tickets to ride on the riverboat to the mines.

• The miner was short on money and wanted to share a room with them at the hotel.

Answer explanation

So many people wanted to mine for gold, many would abandon their jobs and leave for the mountains. This would happen for many jobs, including barbers.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

How did Praiseworthy and Jack make money giving free haircuts to miners?

• They accepted tips from them.

• They caught all the hair clippings and collected the gold dust from the clippings.

• They sold the hair to wig makers.

Answer explanation

The mud and dirty hair had flecks of gold in them. When you washed the hair in a pan, the gold would settle at the bottom. Eureka!

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

Where did Jack get his horn spoon?

• Mountain Jim gave it to him when they were on the ship.

• Captain Swain gave it to him as a gift.

• Praiseworthy let him buy it with some of the gold dust.

Answer explanation

Horn spoons were made from the horn of an oxen. They were useful when digging for gold in the dirt, as well as for eating a meal!

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.1

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

Why didn’t Dr. Buckbee come with Jack and Praiseworthy?

• He got sick and had to wait until he was better.

• He wanted to stay in town until he found Cut-Eye Higgins so he could get his map back.

• He was waiting until Mountain Jim could join him.

Answer explanation

The map was special to Dr. Buckbee and he hoped to get it back.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

Why did Jack and Praiseworthy sell off one of their picks and shovels?

• They sold it to pay for the stage coach fare.

• They ran out of money and needed more.

• They did not need but one set.

Answer explanation

They sold the pick and shovel for $100 each! Supplies were limited during the gold rush. Must like toilet paper in stores in 2020.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

Who was the man in the jipijapa hat?

• Cut-Eye Higgins

• Captain Swain

• Quartz Jackson

Answer explanation

That scoundrel! Cut-Eye Higgins can really make life difficult for Jack and Praiseworthy. There were many thieves and scoundrels around the mining camps as people wanted to get rich quick.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Why was Jonas T. Fletcher's undertaker business so brisk?

• Crime was very high in the dangerous mining towns as well as many diseases and mining accidents.

• Everyone wanted to see him in a wrestling competition.

• The mining towns were safe thanks to the sheriffs.

Answer explanation

Many people were desperate to strike it rich. Crime was high in these mining towns. People would get sick often and mining accidents were common as many people didn't know much about engineering.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.8

CCSS.RI.5.8

CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.6.1

Owning a jipijapa hat usually showed you had traveled from . . .

• Panama

• Boston

• Independence, Missouri

Answer explanation

The light colored straw hat would keep you cooler in the hot sunny jungles of Panama.

Tags

CCSS.RF.3.4C

CCSS.RF.4.4C

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

Who is your favorite character so far?

• Jack

• Praiseworthy

• Quartz Jackson

• Captain Swain

• Cut-Eye Higgins

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.1

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1