California Gold Rush Quiz

When was the California Gold Rush sparked?

• 1850

• 1854

• 1848

• 1852

Who discovered gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley?

• Sam Brannan

• James Marshall

• John Sutter

• Henry Clay

What event sparked the frenzy to the new frontier?

• Discovery of diamonds

• Discovery of silver

• Discovery of gold

• Discovery of oil

What was the population of California before the Gold Rush?

• 100,000

• 150,000

• 800

• 6,500

Who confirmed the reports of huge deposits of gold in California?

• James K. Polk

• John Sutter

• Henry Clay

• Sam Brannan

What were the fortune-hunters who traveled to California in pursuit of riches known as?

• '59ers

• '49ers

• '29ers

• '39ers

What did California apply for in late 1849?

• Territorial expansion

• Annexation to Mexico

• Independence from the United States

• Admission to the Union

What technique was developed in 1853 for gold mining?

• Drilling

• Excavation

• Hydraulic mining

• Blasting

When did the total take of gold pulled from the ground slowly decline?

• 1852

• 1854

• 1857

• 1850

What was the population of California by the end of the decade?

• 100,000

• 380,000

• 200,000

• 500,000