While news spread of John Marshall's discovery in 1848, gold diggers from across the nation and around the world rushed to California. By the end of 1849, the prospectors in the mines had grown from 5,000 to 40,000, all seeking the same dwindling supply of gold. Statehood was granted in 1850 and historians continued to record the timeline of events highlighting the beginnings of the new frontier culture.


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Your group are experts on the Timeline of the Gold Rush. Your job, as historians, is to research, learn, and share this expertise with your fellow prospectors.

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Digging for Gold...

• Think about what you know
• Research on the Internet
• Analyze new resources
• Write a journal entry
• Create a Gold Rush newspaper

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Think . . .

Use the logbook to record your thoughts about your expert topic.   THINK about...  ï What you know at the start of your journey  ï What you want to know  ï What you have learned by the conclusion of the project

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Research . . .

Click the links below to explore new resources about the chronology of events during this rush for gold in California. Concentrate while navigating the Internet and use the BACK button on the toolbar to return to your expert page. Time Line

Analyze . . .
 

Explore the concepts you discover while browsing the Internet resources on your expert topic. Think critically as you analyze the information and record your answers to the following relevant questions in the logbook.  1. Describe some facts that indicate the gold rush impact on California.  2. Who shouts "Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!" ?  3. When was gold discovered?  4. What did the census of 1850 find?  5. What is the importance of placing events in chronological order?

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Write . . .
 

Imagine you were living back in the times of Gold Rush Fever. Compose a diary entry from a day in the life of historian out west. Be creative and record your thoughts in the logbook.   Some ideas to consider:   ï What time did you rise in the morning?  ï What was for breakfast (lunch or dinner) and who cooked it?  ï How did you dress? (probably depends on where you worked)  ï Who did you meet during the day?  ï Why did you come out west?  ï Who was in your family  ï Where did you live?  ï What are your feelings about living during the Gold Rush?

 
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Create . . .

As pioneering journalists your group will design and create your own newspaper which illustrates your area of expertise. Each group member should write at least one article and draw one picture for the paper.
 

Newspaper Elements:  Title  Date/place/cost Lead story (headline) Supporting articles Interesting pictures Table of contents  Weather Obituaries Advertisements Classified (help wanted, or something to buy or sell)

Materials for Design:  Large paper Markers Rulers Crayons Scissors

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