D O N OW A CTIVITY Why is San Francisco’s football team called the 49ers…?

D O N OW A CTIVITY Why is San Francisco’s football team called the 49ers…? CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH - THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD DURING THE 1840S ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ATTRACTS HOPING TO STRIKE IT RICH IN CALIFORNIA. JANUARY 24, 1848, WHEN JAMES MARSHALL, A CARPENTER, DISCOVERED GOLD IN A CALIFORNIA RIVER. AS WORD SPREAD, PEOPLE BEGAN TO FLOCK TO CALIFORNIA IN HOPES OF FINDING GOLD.

C H S URGE TO THE P ACIFIC American settlers head west to seek prosperity in California The isolated and sparsely settled Mexican state of California welcomes immigrants from other countries, particularly the U.S., to come live in its territory. Soon thousands of Americans travel west and try to make their fortune in California. FilmFilm (3:14)

Until it has been polished, a nugget of gold doesn’t look like one — even when it’s as large as this one in a Brazil museum.

E ARLIER G OLD R USHES While the 1849 Gold Rush is the one we remember, it was not the first gold rush. The first one happened in North Carolina starting in Not many people know about this one, because unlike later gold rushes no federal mint was established there at the time. Nevertheless, all of America's gold coinage from 1804 to 1828 was Carolina gold, shipped to Philadelphia for minting. Reading activity handout In a bit, but first…

UNITED STATES COIN MINT MARK LOCATION Mint Marks on most coins are: P = produced at the Philadelphia Pennsylvania branch of the US Mint D = produced at the Denver Colorado branch of the U.S. Mint S = produced at the San Francisco California branch of the U.S. Mint O = produced at the New Orleans Louisiana branch of the U.S. Mint CC= produced at the Carson City Nevada branch of the U.S. Mint C = Charlotte, North Carolina only on gold coins D = Dahlonega, Georgia only on gold coins minted from 1838 to 1861

A NATOMY OF A C OIN - T HE M OTTO, M INT M ARK, AND E DGE

E ARLIER G OLD R USHES While the 1849 Gold Rush is the one we remember, it was not the first gold rush. The first one happened in North Carolina starting in Not many people know about this one, because unlike later gold rushes no federal mint was established there at the time. Nevertheless, all of America's gold coinage from 1804 to 1828 was Carolina gold, shipped to Philadelphia for minting. Reading activity handout Complete now!

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 1. What is the MAIN reason why people migrate? a) To obtain a better job b) To get away from their mother-in-law, or other family members c) To get to a place that is more desirable d) Because land conditions recently made living conditions unlivable

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 2. What North Carolina County, in 1799, was a seventeen-pound gold nugget discovered in? a) Mecklenburg b) Rowan c) Onslow d) Cabarrus

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 3. How did early North Carolina pioneers mainly survive? a) By trading with South Carolinians b) By forming a booming city-like state in what is currently Charlotte c) By starting the nation’s first Newspaper Company called Thornton & Co. Press d) By raising livestock and growing crops such as corn, wheat, barley and rye

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 4. Around 1805, William Thornton purchased thirty-five thousand acres of land and formed the… a) Thornton Mining Company b) North Carolina Gold Mine Company c) Conrad’s Discovery d) South Carolina Mining Company

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 5. This event made North Carolina’s gold rush comparable to the California Gold Rush of 1849, and greatly increased the numbers, and diversity, of the people in North Carolina? a) J. Humphrey Bissell discovered a process to “speed up” the removal of gold from deep within the ground b) William Thornton moved many families to North Carolina from thirteen different foreign countries to work the gold mines c) Rowan County discovered a twenty-five pound gold nugget, drastically increasing the number of people in North Carolina d) Matthias Barringer discovered that more gold could be found by following the veins of white quartz into the ground

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 6. The Carolina Gold Rush followed discovery of the first gold in North Carolina in what year ? a) 1825 b) 1848 c) 1799 d) 1805

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 7. What culture had the greatest influence on North Carolina mining culture? a) German b) Cornish c) Scottish d) Irish

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 8. During the gold rush era, who made up the majority of the immigrants in North Carolina? a) Single, young or middle-aged, men b) Eighty expert miners from eight different foreign countries c) European workers from Cornwall, England d) Miners who already knew how to use steam technology, such as steam engines

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 9. In the early 1800’s, why did North Carolina earn the nickname “The Rip Van Winkle State?” a) Because so much gold was discovered by a man named Rip Van Winkle b) Because the Cornish culture helped develop industry so fast in North Carolina, that it seemed to almost happen in a “wink” on an eye c) Because so little progress was made that the state appeared to be asleep like the character from a popular literature book d) Today’s leaders in industry have only recently given that nickname to North Carolina and it was because how banking indirectly benefited from foreign investors in the long run

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ 10. While the California Gold Rush began in 1848, in what year did the North Carolina Gold Rush officially begin? a) 1825 b) 1828 c) 1803 d) 1799

T HE N ORTH C AROLINA G OLD R USH : Q UIZ Congratulations! You all get a 10/10 on this quiz just for participating.