The California Gold Rush Questions and Answers 100% Pass

The California Gold Rush Questions and Answers 100% Pass Who made up the majority of travelers on the California Trail before the gold rush? American Merchants trading manufactured goods to Mexican merchants for gold, silver, hides, and tallow. What sequence of events led to the gold rush? John Sutter began building a sawmill. His carpenter, James Marshall discovered gold while working. Word of the discovery soon spread and settlers flocked to California to strike it rich. Why was the United States lucky in the timing of the California gold rush? If gold had been found a few years earlier, California would still have been Mexican land. Who was able to "strike a claim" during the gold rush? The first person at a site. Why was the lack of court system a problem in the early days of the gold rush? In the case of competing claims, no court system was in place to handle disputes and violence often erupted over claims. What types of people participated in the California gold rush, and how did they take part in it? a) Male and female Americans, immigrants from China, Europe, Mexico, and South America. b) some mined and provided goods and services for other miners. What types of problems were caused by the arrival of so many new settlers to California? Fighting over claims, discrimination against different races of people, and economic hardships. What types of work did people do at mining camps? Many people prospected: others supplied goods to miners or ran businesses that catered to miners. What percentage of gold rush immigrants were women, and what opportunities did the gold rush provide them? Five percent: they provided services that catered to the miners (cooking, cleaning, ironing, partnership for miners. How did attitudes toward slavery in California benefit Biddy Madison? She and her family, after gaining their freedom from slavery, were to become wealthy landowners in Los Angeles because most Californians opposed slavery. What effect did Californian's population growth have on Californios and Native Americans. They faced discrimination and poor treatment. Why did many Chinese immigrants go to California during the gold rush? By famine and economic hardship. Most wanted to gain wealth and return to China. What challenges did immigrant miners face in California? Lack of welcome by American, monthly tax, discrimination, violence, limited legal redress. When did California become a state? 1850 (As part of the Compromise of 1850) How do you think Californios and Native Americans view the gold rush and the population boom that resulted? Not favorably; they faced discrimination from Americans who viewed them as a trespasser not entitled to search for gold. Overall, do you think that the gold rush had a positive or negative effect on California. Give specific reasons to support your answer. Positive: led to statehood, satisfied manifest destiny, brought diversity to the west coast. Negative: led to discrimination for many gold seekers, displaced groups of people like Natives and Mexicans.