California Gold: What a rush!

What was it like to travel over land or by sea in search of gold?



Created by,
Kelsey Fatland

Curriculum Info  Meet the Author


Chisholm, M. SS California rounding Cape Horn, 1848-1849 Voyage from New York City to San Francisco. 2006.


Introduction

Picture it: The year is 1849 and you hear the news that there is Gold in the California hills. You must get in on this action! Who would be crazy enough to miss the opportunity to get filthy rich just by doing a little digging? You pack your bags and start your voyage to California.

What would it have been like to travel by land or over the sea to California in search of gold?

Use the information you find on the websites below to compare and contrast the voyages of those brave men, women, and children who traveled thousands of miles to our great state of California.


Getting to California by Land was Harsh
    •Gold Fever! Across Land
Look here for information about those who traveled by land to search for gold. © 1998 Oakland Museum of California
    •Way Back. Gold Rush. Journey of the 49ers. California-Oregon Trail.
This is a great site that tells you about the people who traveled by land over the Oregon Trail in search of Gold. ©1998-2004 WGBH Educational Foundation
    •The Trek West to a New World/Retracing the Route that Transformed America
Here's a map showing the over land route most gold seekers traveled. The California Trail: The Trek to a New World. Chronicle graphic by Joe Shoulak
    •Gold Rush: Fun Facts
This site has some fun, weird, and gross details about the voyages to Gold Country.
Gold Seekers Encountered Rough Seas
    •Ship of Gold
This is a website that tells the story of some who traveled by sea to search for gold in California.
    •Gold Fever! Coming by Sea
This site has information about those who traveled by sea in search of gold. © 1998 Oakland Museum of California
    •Chinese in the Gold Rush
This site tells about the people who traveled from China during the Gold Rush.
    •Way Back. Gold Rush. Journey of the 49ers. The Panama Shortcut
Some gold seekers took what they thought was a shortcut on their voyages by sea. ©1998-2004 WGBH Educational Foundation
    •Way Back. Gold Rush. Journey of the 49ers. Around Cape Horn.
This site tells of those brave souls who traveled by sea around Cape Horn in search of Gold. ©1998-2004 WGBH Educational Foundation
Many Different Routes to Gold Country
    •On Your Mark, Get Set, Gold
This site has information about all the different voyages, by land and by sea. Copyright © The Sacramento Bee
Reward Yourself with a Fun Activity!
    •The Huntington Library Gold Rush Game
Here's a fun interactive site where you can pretend to join a child traveling to California either by sea or over land. Please do this only after you have done most of your research.


Last updated: October 16 2007, 12:32 pm
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