1. The California Gold Rush
O California
The California Gold Rush

2. Agenda March 21, 2017
Do Now: Gold is discovered in California and many people you know have made a small fortune mining gold. Your friends and family are pressuring you to leave home and “strike it rich” in the gold fields. However, other members of the community are claiming that most of the people who make the journey come back empty handed. Would you make the trek to California in search of gold or would you stay home? Explain your choice.
Complete notes in notebook on Gold rush.
Write a letter explaining your experience in California based on information on class notes.
HW: E.Q. Sheet due March
Test March
Letter due for homework.

3. Early California History
Mexican territory settled by Natives and Spanish missionaries.
Wealthy Landowners (Rancheros) built Ranchos( ranches) farmed by Native American laborors.
Like Texas Mexican officials welcomed American settlers at first.
Also like Texas, American settlers dreamed of an independent California, free of Mexican rule that would eventually join the U.S.

4. The Bear flag Republic(1845-1846)
Kit Carson and John Fremont, western explorers, encouraged American settlers to revolt against Mexican rule starting in 1845.
American settlers rose up in revolt and received support from U.S. troops who were fighting in the U.S. Mexican war.
Californios(Mexican speaking settlers of California) resisted Carson and Fremont’s push for revolt and wanted to stay with Mexico.
U.S. received California from Mexico after Mexican war.

5. Sutter’s Mill and the rise of boomtowns
Gold Discovered at Sutter's mill(top) in 1848.
Mass migration of settlers in 1849 after word of the discovery got out at a mining camp (hence the name the 49ers for many migrants).
Major population boom in California as miners looked for gold particularly in San Francisco.
California trail (bottom) other major trail west (besides Oregon trail).
Boomtown(mining communities located near gold fields) sprang up throughout California. Most do not last after gold runs out and are abandoned.

6. Life in Boomtowns
Many men never made a vast fortune spending all the money on drink, food and gambling.
Merchants gained the most wealth as they controlled the prices for goods.
Male dominated world with few women at first. Many came later after their husbands settled in boomtowns.
No official police force so vigilantes, citizens who served as unofficial judge jury and (occasionally) executioners, maintained order.

7. Life in California Letter
You are a recent arrival in the California gold fields who has settled in the boomtown. Write a letter home describing your experience in the gold fields.
What I am looking for:
Information about what you know about California before the Gold Rush that encouraged you to leave for California(e.g. Indian labor to build large homes, the struggle for independence during the Mexican War, discovery of gold in 1848).
Description of life in a boomtown (high prices for goods, few women to help manage men’s home life, vigilantes, gambling problems, fights or coming not having discovered any gold).
Your hopes for the future.
Turn in at the end of class, if not done its homework.

8. Wrap Up
Based on your letters, how many of you would have settled in a Boomtown and why?