1. SS 3-4: How did women help California grow?

2. What roles do you think women played during the Gold Rush?
Write what you think you know in your SS notebook. Be ready to share out.
Women during the Gold Rush could not vote, hold a position in the government, or work at most jobs.
Partner chat: “In what ways did women make a difference?”
Partner chat: “Why did women come to CA during the Gold Rush?”
*PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT OTHERS SAY. YOU MIGHT SEE THIS QUESTION AGAIN!

3. Women who traveled west to CA faced many challenges
Very few women made the early journey to CA
Men had to live away from families b/c of mining
CA constitution let women keep their assets separate from husband’s
*Assets: property or objects that could be used to repay debts
Successful women
Sold food or operated boarding houses near mining camps
Successful b/c high food prices and housing shortage

4. Mary Tape: A Chinese Immigrant
1855 fought to have her children admitted to public school in SF
SF created a school for Chinese only
Chinese still not allowed in existing public schools
1920’s: Chinese children allowed to go to public high schools sooner in CA than the rest of the US
Result of Mary Tape fighting for her children
Happened too late for her children to benefit from it
Occurred earlier than the Supreme Court’s decision in 1954 ruling against desegragation

5. Helen Hunt Jackson Visited CA and their missions
Shocked at the conditions for the Native Americans
She disagreed with how land was taken from them
1881 wrote a book about the unfair treatment of American Indians
Sent copies to everyone in Congress

6. Biddy Mason: African American freedom fighter
Born into slavery
Robert Smith, her owner, moved to San Bernadino and took her with him
African American businessman, Charles Owens, helped her petition for her freedom
She gained her freedom in 1856
Told other African Americans to petition for freedom too
She was one of the first African Americans to own land in Los Angeles
She was generous to churches, charities, and individuals
November 16, 1989 was declared Biddy Mason Day

7. Partner Activity With your partner, you will:
read the biography card sheet
Take notes on each woman’s accomplishments or what she worked to change (I will have a graphic organizer on the SmartBoard you can follow). You can add any notes that you have taken or remember from these slides
After you take notes, you will make a poster about one of these women. You will include:
Pictures showing the important events of her life
Answer this question: “How does this woman’s story inspire other women today?”

8. Exit Ticket
Name one woman that made a difference for the people of California.
What did she do that made a difference?