Introduction
"There's gold in the hills!" From 1848 to the mid-1850s, this cry brought thousands of people rushing to California all with the same goal-to strike it rich. Before gold was discovered in California in 1848, very few Americans had ever seen California. Settlers had been moving to California since the mid-1840s because of its free and fertile land, but their numbers were tiny in comparison to the flood of people who came to find gold.

On January 24, 1848, James Marshall discovered gold while building a sawmill near the American River in northern California. He and his boss, John Sutter, promised to keep the discovery a secret. However, word of the discovery had reached the East by late 1848, though most people thought the story was nothing more than a rumor. In December, President James K. Polk confirmed that the reports were in fact true.

By early 1849, gold fever had set in across the U.S. People wanted to find gold in California so they would never have to work again. In 1849 alone, over 80,000 people-called "forty-niners"-left for California to seek a quick and easy fortune. The California Gold Rush was on!

The first difficulty faced by the forty-niners was the trip to California. Most Easterners chose to go by sea-either a six-month journey around South America or a shorter but riskier trip across the jungles in Panama. People from the central states went primarily by land-a 2000 mile walk across the barren plains and Rocky Mountains-which was shorter but not any faster than the sea route.

Once they got to California, the forty-niners took part in a free-for-all for land and gold. There was a lot of gold to be found, but the prices charged for food and supplies were so high that often the miners made little or no profit from the gold they took home each day. "Boomtowns" sprang up all across northern California to provide rooms, food, supplies, and entertainment to the miners, and usually the people who sold goods or services became far wealthier than the miners themselves.

By 1849, much of the easy gold had been found, but people kept coming to California. Gold miners typically spent ten hours a day standing in an ice-cold river digging and panning for gold, but they were getting less and less gold for their hard work. Many people who had planned to get rich overnight in California finally realized their dreams would not come true. Some went broke still trying to find new deposits of gold. Others were forced to work for a large mining company in order to earn a living. Still more decided to give up, and they returned home to their families with nothing.

Sources:

Women in the Gold Rush
Discover the gold rush era through the eyes of the women who experienced it. This site contains excerpts from women's diaries telling of their adventures and struggles in California.

Recollections of a '49er.
A quaint and thrilling narrative of a trip across the plains, and life in the California gold fields during the stirring days following the discovery of gold in the far West. By Edward Washington McIlhany - Part 2

California sketches, with recollections of the gold mines. By Leonard Kip

San Francisco Bay in 1849
Scroll to the bottom of the page.

ADVICE TO THE MINER
California as it is or, A guide to the gold region - Part 4. Includes sketches,and a list of food and their costs in San Francisco.

Death Valley in '49.
Important chapter of California pioneer history. The autobiography of a pioneer, detailing his life from a humble home in the Green Mountains to the gold mines of California; and particularly reciting the sufferings of the band of men, women and children who gave "Death Valley" its name. By William Lewis Manly.

Moving West
at 10 years old Description of school at the bottom of this page

The Coloma Cemetery
An authentic picture with fascinating descriptions of the pioneers.

More than 600 pioneers are buried here. The graves contain the remains of those drawn to Coloma in their search for gold. All races and many nations are represented from "Little Eddie" to "Texas" Ellen, they rest together in this peaceful setting.

return to top

Guiding Questions

Women in the Gold Rush

• What jobs did some of the women have? Were they successful? How do you know?
• Can you estimate just how much the pie maker made in one day?
• What does "seeing the elephant" mean?

Recollections of a '49er.
On page 11, second paragraph:

• Why were friends and relatives sad to see people head west?
• What is an "old family darkie" and why would they be there?

On page 13:

• What were some of the dangers of riding to the west in stagecoaches?

California sketches,

What are some of the tools you see in the picture by the miner? What were they used for?

San Francisco Bay in 1849

Scroll to the bottom of the page.

The year is 1849. Why are so many boats in the San Francisco harbour? Do you think there will be this many next year at this same time of year? Why or why not?

ADVICE TO THE MINER

On page 47, we see the prices of food and supplies in San Francisco in 1849. How do these compare to the same things today? How much would it cost a miner to move off to the mines with provisions?

Near the bottom of the page (on page 59) are listed some illnesses and their causes. Could these be prevented?

return to top

Teacher| Student | Wagon Trains

Last updated on May 02, 2000 by Paula White

Who Wants to Be a Pioneer Home Page

Return to Albemarle County Public Schools Home Page