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WorksheetsThe Gold Rush
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 6mins
When was gold first discovered at Sutter's Fort?
August 2, 1813
December 23, 121
January 24, 1848
April 7, 1865
Why did Sutter's workers stop working and abandon his colony?
They all moved to different parts of the country.
They went hunting for gold.
They wanted to start their own farms.
What methods did prospectors use to find gold?
By digging into hills or mountainsides, or by panning in rivers or streams
By dragging the bottoms of lakes and rivers with a large net
What did prospectors mean when they yelled, "Eureka!"
"I have to go to the restroom!"
"It's time to go!'
"I've found gold!"
After news of the gold rush spread to the East Coast and then around the world, what happened?
Thousands of people began heading west to strike it rich.
Thousands of people stayed home with their families.
IMAGE (p. 416)
What image is the man in the photo most likely trying to convey?
That he's ready to give up gold mining to be with his family in Minnesota
That he's a serious and successful gold prospector
THE FORTY-NINERS (p. 417)
How did the 80,000 new gold-seekers who had moved to California earn the nickname "forty-niners?"
They were all 49 years of age when they moved to California.
They arrived to California in 1849.
THE FORTY-NINERS (p. 417)
Which of the following is the best description of the forty-niners and mining towns of California?
They all came from local towns. There was only one nationality and culture.
Slavery was commonly practiced, and African-Americans were not allowed to mine for gold.
Few immigrants arrived from China.
They came from all over the U.S. and world.
There were many nationalities and cultures. Slavery was not commonly practiced, so many free African-Americans mined for gold. Thousands of immigrants arrived from China.
THE FORTY-NINERS (p. 417)
True or False?
Many forty-niners were single men, few women took part in gold mining, and traditional families were not common.
True
False
THE FORTY-NINERS (p. 417)
What were some of the negative effects of the California gold rush?
The population of California decreased, gold lost its value, and most people returned to their homelands.
Newcomers were disrespectful to Californios' customs and legal rights and sometimes stole their property. Also, thousands of Native Americans died of diseases brought by the gold miners.
THE FORTY-NINERS (p. 417)
In 1849 and 1849 the population of California increased by nearly ____ because of the gold rush.
20,000
45,000
61,000
100,000
IMAGE (p. 417)
Read the caption and answer the following question.
What happened when Levi Strauss changed his original plans and began producing trousers?
People didn't buy the pants, he went out of business, and moved back to Germany.
It took nearly eight years for people to start wearing his pants, and his brand never gained a lot of popularity.
People loved the pants, he opened his own factory, invented blue jeans, and founded a company and unique American brand.
