THE GOLD RUSH. Rennay Craats. Weigl Publishers Inc.

Transcription

1 Real Life Stories Real Life Stories THE GOLD RUSH Rennay Craats Weigl Publishers Inc.

2 About The Gold Rush This book is based on the real life accounts of the people who settled the American West. History is brought to life through quotes from personal journals, letters to family back home, and historical records of those who traveled West to build a better life. Published by Weigl Publishers Inc. 123 South Broad Street, Box 227 Mankato, MN USA Web site: Copyright 2003 WEIGL PUBLISHERS INC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Craats, Rennay. The gold rush / Rennay Craats. p. cm. -- (Real life stories series) Includes index. Summary: Briefly discusses the events surrounding the nine-teenth-century gold rush in California, using first-hand accounts. ISBN (lib. bdg. : alk. paper) 1. California--Gold discoveries--juvenile literature. 2. California--History Juvenile literature. 3. Frontier and pioneer life--california--juvenile literature. 4.Pioneers--California--History- -19th century--juvenile literature. 5. Gold mines and mining--california--history--19th century-- Juvenile literature. [1. California--Gold discoveries. 2. California--History Frontier and pioneer life--california. 4. Gold mines and mining--california--history--19th century.] I. Title. II. Series. F865.C '03--dc Printed in the United States of America Photograph Credits Cover: Denver Public Library Western History Department (MCC.1916A); Collection of the Oakland Museum of California: page 18; Corbis Corporation: pages 6, 10; Glenbow Archives: page 14 (NA ); Fred Hultstrand History in Pictures Collections, Institute for Regional Studies & University Archives, North Dakota State University: pages 1 (X-60187), 4 (X-61356), 8 (X-60187), 22 (MCC-1918A); pages 12/13; photo courtesy Oregon Trail Interpretive Center: page 21; courtesy of the South Dakota State Historical Society - State Archives: page 3; Travel Montana/S. Shimek: page 5; University of Nevada, Reno: page 16. Project Coordinator Michael Lowry Substantive Editor Christa Bedry Copy Editor Jennifer Nault Design Virginia Boulay & Bryan Pezzi Layout Terry Paulhus Photo Research Dylan Kirk & Daorcey Le Bray

3 Contents Gold Fever The Discovery Rushing to California A Hard Life Panning for Gold Striking it Rich Coming Up Empty Finding a Way to California Learning More about the Gold Rush Choose a Route What Have You Learned? Words to Know/Index

4 Gold Fever Asparkle of gold at the bottom of a river in California created gold fever in California was not a state at the time. It had a small population of ranchers and settlers. Thousands of people moved to California after gold was discovered. They hoped to find gold and become rich. This was gold fever. Life as a gold miner was not easy. Many people arrived in California too late. The easy gold had already been found. The gold rush was over by The gold rush brought wealth to California. It also created amazing stories that were passed down from parents to their children. 4 Many gold miners left their families behind when they moved to California.

5 GoldRushOct02:GoldRushOct02 9/12/08 12:41 PM Page 5 Gold Gold is heavy. It falls to the bottom of a pan when it is swished with water. 5

6 The Discovery James Marshall was building a new sawmill in Sacramento Valley in January He noticed a shimmer at the bottom of the river. He pulled small gold nuggets from the river. James examined the nuggets and decided they were gold. People thought that James was crazy. They did not believe that he had found gold. James Marshall discovered gold while building a mill for John A. Sutter. What would you have done if you had found gold? 6