Chapter 11: America: Old and New Test Review

Which major event caused a rapid increase in California’s population in 1848?

• The discovery of oil in California

• The discovery of gold on the American River

• The end of the Civil War

• The building of the transcontinental railroad

Where did the original gold strike that started the Gold Rush take place?

• Near the city of Los Angeles

• Along the San Francisco Bay

• On the American River near Sacramento

• Near the border of Oregon

According to the passage, which group of people did not commonly join the California Gold Rush?

• People from Mexico

• Americans

• People from Asia

• People from Antarctica

What is one reason why many travelers on land routes never made it to California?

• They had to pay high taxes to cross certain trails

• They refused to use maps

• They faced dangers like harsh deserts and high mountains

• They disliked using wagons for travel

Which shorter sea route did many people use to reach California during the Gold Rush?

• Sailing directly across the Pacific Ocean

• Taking a ship to the eastern coast of Panama and crossing the isthmus
  
  

• Navigating the Arctic Circle above Canada

• Traveling by boat through the Great Lakes

Why did so many people come to California in the mid-1800s?

• They wanted to escape the heat and cold of other states.

• They were hoping to find gold and become wealthy.

• They were looking for farmland for large plantations.

• They wanted to establish new religious communities.

Approximately how much gold was mined from California during this early Gold Rush period?

• $1 million

• $20 million

• $220 million

• $2 billion

How did some northern California communities respond to increasing crime during the Gold Rush?

• They waited for federal troops to come and keep order.

• They relied on local sheriffs to lock up criminals.

• They formed vigilance committees that tried and punished criminals.

• They closed mines to reduce the number of newcomers.

Why was California considered “unique” compared to the eastern states?

• It had the largest cities in the entire nation.

• It had none of the sectional history found in the East.

• It was the only state where gold was discovered.

• It kept all traditional cultures separate.

Which engineering achievement helped open the old Northwest Territory to settlement?

• The Erie Canal

• The transcontinental railroad

• The Panama Canal

• The Great Lakes Steamboat