What Would You Do?

1
What Would You Do?

• Making Choices
• During the Gold Rush

2
What Would You Do?

• You are working with James Marshall and find
  lumps of what looks like gold in the water. You
  and your co-workers test it and discover it
  really is gold.

• Do you try to keep it a secret and look for more
  gold?
• Do you tell a few friends elsewhere in the
  country and invite them to join you?
• Do you tell the newspapers and spread the word as
  fast as possible?

3
Heres What Happened

• John Sutter, who owned the land where the gold
  was discovered, wanted to keep it a secret. But
  word quickly spread, and locals raced to the
  American River to search for gold. Soon word
  spread to the East Coast, and thousands of people
  left their homes to get to California.

4
What Would You Do?

• You are living in Massachusetts, and have heard
  about the gold pouring from the rivers in
  California. You quit your job, sell your house,
  and say goodbye to your family

• Do you cross to California by land?
• Do you sail to California?

5
Heres What Happened

• Heres what you would have endured if you
  traveled to California by land.

• Heres what you would have endured if you
  traveled to California by sea.

6
What Would You Do?

• You came to California for gold, but life as a
  miner is difficult. Which obstacle will be the
  biggest problem for you?

• Being away from your family.
• Having to work long days in dangerous conditions.
• Realizing that there isnt as much gold as people
  said.

7
Heres What Happened

• Life as a miner was very rough, dangerous, and
  lonely. Click here and here to read more about
  life as a miner in California.

8
What Would You Do?

• You came to California for gold, but failed. You
  have no money, no gold, and no job. Now what?

• Do you find a way to get back home and leave gold
  dreams behind?
• Do you stay and try to find some kind of job?
• Do you try to start your own business?

9
Heres What Happened

• Many people chose to stay in California and start
  a business to serve the thousands of miners
  pouring into the area. Some found jobs in these
  new businesses. And some chose to go home,
  without gold or money. Read more here.

10
Watch a Gold Rush Movie
11
Options to add

• Discussion of the methods of mining for gold-
  click here
• Discussion of the government that resulted from
  the Gold Rush- click here

12
Credits

• Gold Rush information from http//www.museumca.org
  /goldrush/fever.html
• Movie from United Streaming.