California Studies Weekly #22

Describe how miners declared that a certain piece of ground was theirs to prospect.

How were laws regarding mining made during 1849?

• The government had specific laws.

• Each miner wrote different laws.

• Each mining community made its own laws.

• Each city made its own laws.

Which of the roads shown here was the longest route?

• From New York through the Isthmus of Panama to San Francisco

• From New York around Cape Horn to San Francisco

• They were both the same.

• The longest route is not shown on the map.

Which route is the picture of the wagon and the people around it depicting?

• Across the Isthmus of Panama

• Rounding Cape Horn

• The Overland Trail

• All of the Above

In the article “Seeing the Elephant,” we learn that some claimed that they had seen the “elephant’s tracks” or the “elephant’s tail” and did not care to see any more. What did they mean by that?

• They had not liked California.

• They were last on the parade.

• They had turned back before reaching the gold fields.

• They were pulling the wagons last.

What were the three main routes Americans used to travel to California?

• The Overland Trail across the United States; around Cape Horn; across the Isthmus of Panama

• The Overland Trail across the United States; the southern tip of North America; the Oregon Trail

• The Overland Trail across the United States; around Cape Horn; across the Isthmus of South America

• The Overland Trail across the United States; the Oregon Trail; Mexico

What happened to the 34 people from the Bidwell Party who decided to head to California after half of the group headed to Oregon?

• They did not make it and returned home.

• They were stranded in the Sierra Nevada.

• They arrived at Marsh Ranch.

• They cut through the Wasatch Mountains and arrived safely.

How long did it take travelers to get to California if they traveled by way of the Isthmus of Panama?

• 8 months to Panama and then up to 4 months more

• 12 months to Panama and then up to 2 months more

• 2 months and sometimes months more

• None of the above

Which was the safest way to travel to California from the East?

• Sail all the way around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of the South American country of Chile

• Sail from New York to Central America and crossing the Isthmus of Panama

• Following the Overland Trail

• A and B

What caused the huge population expansion in California between 1848 and  1852

• Gold was  found 
• Fresh water was found
• War with Native-Americans 
• farmers moved there to grow their crops