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Calisphere: University of California Libraries
University of California: Calisphere: Gold Rush Era, 1848 1865: Disasters
A collection of primary source materials that highlight the risks of natural disasters associated with the California Gold Rush as people rushed in to seek their fortunes.
Calisphere: University of California Libraries
University of California: Calisphere: Gold Rush Era: Environmental Impact
Original photographs depicting scenes from California during the Gold Rush. Illustrations of mines, miners at work, and the tools they used as well as the effect of the mining industry on California's landscape.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Chinese Transformed
This CalGoldRush.com site discusses the role of the Chinese immigrants during the gold rush in California and the mark they made on history.
Calisphere: University of California Libraries
Univ. Of California: Calisphere: Gold Rush Era: Diversity in the Changing State
Explore original images depicting scenes of ethnic diversity in California during the Gold Rush years.
Calisphere: University of California Libraries
University of California: Calisphere: Gold Rush Era: Murder and Mayhem
A collection of primary source materials and informational text that looks at law and order in the "wild west" of California, identifying changing ethnicity in a growing population seeking gold and other resources.
Other
Montana Junior College: Mining History and Geology of the California Gold Rush
The physical characteristics, history, and mining of gold in California are examined in this thorough site.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: 'Real Women' Who Defied Stereotype
This CalGoldRush.com site discusses the role of the women during the gold rush in California. They served in a variety of roles and many made more than miners. This page tells their stories.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Mother Lode Now Strikes Gold in Tourism
This CalGoldRush.com site contains an article on the effects that the California gold rush has on California's tourism. Many people still come from far lands to get a glimpse of what is was like to be a gold miner.
Other
Gold, Greed, & Genocide: The Story of California's 1849 Gold Rush
Use the table of contents to explore this site which recounts the plight of the Native Americans who lived in California before the Gold Rush and the impact of the gold rush on their lives.
Other
Gold Rush Chronicles: The Pony Express
At this comprehensive site, students learn about the first cross-country mail courier service in the United States, the Pony Express.
University of California
History Project: Debate Over the California Constitutional Convention, 1878 1879
Lesson on immigration, conflict and nativism in which students examine primary source documents to evaluate public policy and attitudes towards Chinese immigrants in California, 1878-1879.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: The Gold Discovery
This site contains information on the dramatic impact of the California Gold Rush. From "The History of California," published in 1897.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Culture Took Hold Despite Tough Crowds
This resource contains information on the development of culture in California during the gold rush. Culture developed in spite of the harsh conditions and tough people.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of San Francisco: African American Rights Gold Rush Era
Provides information concerning African American rights in the California gold country before the Civil War.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Searching for Gold: A Collaborative Inquiry Project
Contains plans for six lessons that ask students to research the Gold Rush before teaching each other about it. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in the lessons as well as...
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Indians' Misfortune Was Stamped in Gold
This CalGoldRush site discussses the triumphs and hardships of Indians during the California gold rush. Some became rich, but many were sold into slavery.
Oakland Museum of California
California's Untold Stories: Silver and Gold
This site provides a virtual tour of the mining of silver and gold in California through excellent photos and facts.
OpenStax
Open Stax: The Mexican American War, 1846 1848
After reading this section of a chapter on "Westward Expansion," students will be able to identify the causes of the Mexican-American War and describe the outcomes of the war in 1848 and the effect of the California Gold Rush on westward...
Library of Congress
Loc: California History Collection: The Discovery of Gold
Contains an article on the discovery of gold in California at Sutter's Mill that resulted in the California Gold Rush.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Streams Poisoned by Mercury
This CalGoldRush site discusses the damage mercury used in gold mining has done to California's environment
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: The Diary of Johann August Sutter
In an book by Douglas S. Watson published in 1932, you can read the introduction which tells about the life of Johann August Sutter, who emigrated to California, built a mill where gold was found, and suffered for that discovery....
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1865 1898: Chinese Immigrants and Mexican Americans
Discusses the conflict with Mexican American and Chinese groups as white settlers pushed westward in the nineteenth century. Explains what brought so many Chinese immigrants to America and the roadblocks and discrimination that they had...