TEACHING THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HISTORICAL THINKING A Project Presented to the faculty of the Department of History California State University, Sacramento Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in History by Justin A. Sousa SUMMER 2012 TEACHING THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HISTORICAL THINKING A Project by Justin A. Sousa Approved by: __________________________________, Committee Chair Chloe S. Burke __________________________________, Second Reader Donald J. Azevada, Jr. ____________________________ Date ii Student: Justin A. Sousa I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the project. __________________________, Graduate Coordinator __________________ Mona Siegel Date Department of History iii Abstract of TEACHING THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HISTORICAL THINKING by Justin A. Sousa The California Gold Rush is an important occurrence within the exploration of the Western Frontier, American expansion during the nineteenth century, and the development of a unique and intriguing social world in the State of California. Currently, this aspect of California history is taught solely in the public schools at the primary grade levels. Although the Gold Rush is not included in the secondary grade level history curriculum, the incorporation of this event in the 8th and 11th grades promotes a further understanding of the history of the state. Additionally, the study of the Gold Rush provides multiple opportunities for teachers to implement historical thinking skills into the curriculum, thereby providing students with the tools necessary to contextualize, interpret, and establish an in-depth historical understanding of this event. Within this project are a variety of methods that provide teachers applicable techniques that encourage students to practice their ability to analyze the historical significance of the California Gold Rush. Utilizing a four-day lesson plan, teachers will find ways to implement Gold Rush content and promote historical thinking skills at the secondary grade levels. Although these methods and activities are demonstrated solely through iv teaching the Gold Rush, it is also the goal of this project to encourage the application of historical thinking methodology within all Social Science content. In doing so, this teaching approach develops continuity throughout the grade levels and provides students with a consistent and engaging look at history. __________________________________, Committee Chair Chloe S. Burke ________________________ Date v DEDICATION To my mother Bev, who diligently attained her Master’s Degree and encouraged me to do the same. Thank you so much for all of the inspiration and motivation. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication …………………………………………………………………………..…. vi INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….... 1 The Curriculum Standards Dilemma…………………………………………… 3 Historical Thinking: A Golden Opportunity…………………………………… 9 What This Project Entails…………………………………………………...… 14 The Significance of Teaching the California Gold Rush…………………....… 18 1. THE HISTORIAN’S LOOK AT THE SOCIAL WORLD OF THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH ………………………………………………………………………. 20 The Original Gold Rush “Historians”…………………………………………. 22 The Centennial and the Social Turn…………………………………………… 26 Beyond the “Myth”……………………………………………………………. 29 A Social Event: The “New” Investigation of the Gold Rush…………….……. 32 Conclusion: The Myth Lives On………………………………………….…… 42 2. A COSMOPOLITAN SOCIETY: COLUMBIA, CALIFORNIA, 1850-1860……... 44 The Founding of Columbia, 1850-1854……………………………………….. 48 The Influence of the Chinese………………………………………………..…. 52 African Americans in Columbia……………………………………………..… 58 Businesses and Entrepreneurs……………………………………………..…... 63 The Role of Anglo Women………………………………………….....…….... 67 Fire!..................................................................................................................... 73 vii Columbia Today……………………………..……………………….……....... 76 3. TEACHING HISTORICAL THINKING SKILLS THROUGH LESSONS ABOUT THE GOLD RUSH……………………….………………………………………… 78 Day One: Placing the Gold Rush in Time and Building Interpretation….……. 84 Day Two: Working With Multiple Perspectives on the Gold Rush…….……... 93 Day Three: Identifying Causation and Drawing Conclusions about the Social Diversity in the California Gold Rush………………….………………....….. 100 Day Four: Identifying Historical Problems and Determining Outcomes..….... 108 APPENDICES ……………..…..…………………………….……….……………… 113 Appendix A. Content Standards …………………….……………….………. 115 Appendix B. Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills …….…….……. 127 Appendix C. Historical Thinking Standards …………………….……......…. 130 Appendix 1. Lesson Plan and Activities (Day 1) …...……...………….…….. 134 Appendix 2. Lesson Plan and Activities (Day 2) ……..……………..…......... 141 Appendix 3. Lesson Plan and Activities (Day 3) ………………………….… 151 Appendix 4. Lesson Plan and Activities (Day 4) …………………………..... 191 BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………..………………... 193 viii 1 INTRODUCTION It has become commonplace for California teachers in K-12 public schools to encounter a variety of restraints in their lesson planning due to time restrictions, budget cuts, and standardized testing. The result of this is that Social Studies teachers at the secondary grade levels encounter students who have not been exposed to in-depth historical perspectives and historical thinking. By the time students reach the second half of their K-12 educational careers, they have received very few opportunities to practice their skills of historical reasoning, analysis, and interpretation. Research suggests that the inclusion of historical thinking will “engage” students and “improve their knowledge and understanding of history.”1 By implementing historical thinking skills into the practice of teaching and learning history, students at the secondary educational level are able to move beyond memorizing facts, and instead make sound historical connections. As a high school history teacher, I encourage students to think beyond just dates and names found in their textbooks. Rather students must establish the necessary skills for historical thinking, which includes, as Sam Wineburg points out in his book Historical Thinking, the ability “to see through the eyes of the people who were there.”2 At the same time, it is also important that students maintain their content knowledge in order to be successful on the California Standardized Test (CST), which students take at the end of each school year (except in the 12th grade). Incorporating historical thinking and historical knowledge of the curriculum standards can be a difficult task because both 1 Frederick D. Drake and Sarah Drake Brown. “A Systematic Approach to Improve Students’ Historical Thinking,” The History Teacher 36, 4 (August 2003): 466. 2 Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching History (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2001), 11. 2 objectives often work against the principles of one another. Historical thinking promotes student analysis and interpretation, while standardized tests, for the most part, ask students to choose a correct answer based on factual recall. However, by teaching both historical thinking skills as well as content, students will obtain extensive skills that they can apply toward thinking, writing, questioning, and even test taking strategies (in multiple subjects). Applying the historical thinking skills approach to the process of learning history is something that teachers can incorporate at all grade levels and throughout all aspects of historical content. Determining when to apply this approach is something that Frederick Drake suggests occurs “at times when a teacher deems it appropriate.” Drake also suggests that the historical thinking approach “be used judiciously” and “must depend on each teacher’s knowledge of historical narrative and sources.” In addition, Drake advocates that “teachers should implement this approach at a time propitious to their expertise.”3 Adhering to Drake’s suggestions, I have chosen to apply methods of teaching historical thinking to one particular event in American history. This event includes the social aspects and historical significance of the California Gold Rush. This topic is useful because there are an abundance of primary and secondary sources, helpful in promoting student analysis and interpretation. Its historical relevance, although often overlooked, is significant as this event played an important role in promoting the ideals of Manifest Destiny and the causes of the Civil War. Finally the Gold Rush is a topic with a host of local connections, which allow students living in California the opportunity to build on 3 Drake and Brown, 466. 3 prior knowledge and encounter names and places that students can easily identify with. On a personal level, through research and by implementing the historical thinking process, I have developed a passion for studying the significance of the California Gold Rush and its impact on the formation of the State. THE CURRICULUM STANDARDS DILEMMA Unfortunately, as a secondary education teacher, who is interested in this subject, the opportunities to incorporate an in-depth study of the California Gold Rush into the 8th and 11th grade classrooms pose a certain challenge. In California’s History-Social