Section 4 the California Gold Rush
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Chapter 11 – “Expanding West” Name ______
Section 4 – The California Gold Rush
Big Idea
The California gold rush changed the future of the West.
Key Terms and People
John Sutter – owned Sutter’s Fort and Sutter’s Mill (sawmill). __Gold___ was first discovered on his property. He ended up going ___bankrupt______.
Donner party – A group of _settlers______who were going to California in 1846 but were stranded in the mountains. _____42____ of 87 travelers died.
Forty-niners – The _____gold______-seeking migrants to California in _____1849______. prospect – to search for _____gold______. placer miners – Used pans or other devices to wash __gold___ nuggets out of loose sand or gravel.
Key Questions
1. P.366 Staking a Claim: Why might people leave their homes and travel long distances in search of gold?
The promise of ____wealth______. Many foreigners came to escape problems in their home countries. ______Women______found greater opportunities in the West.
2. What types of people came to California hoping to benefit from the gold rush?
In the US, easterners and Midwesterners, including ______slaves______.
______Immigrants______came from China, Europe, Mexico, and South America.
3. What was the political effect of California’s rapid population growth?
It became the __31st__ state only two years after being acquired by the United States.