Other
California State Parks: Gold Rush
The California State Parks presents a brief unit on the California Gold Rush including three lessons which begin with the westward movement to California for gold, the actual process of mining for gold, then the effects of the rush on...
Duke University
California Gold: The Diary and Letters of James M. Burr
Wonderful primary resource on the California Gold Rush. Read actual letters and a diary--with explanatory annotations--by a prospector from 1850-1853.
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Land of Golden Dreams: California in the Gold Rush
A rich site on the California gold rush, 1848-1858. An online exhibit traces the gold rush using primary sources, a teacher page gives lesson plans from 4-12 and a kid's page offers further online adventures. Takes a long time to load.
Other
California Gold Country: No Place for a Woman?
Information about women in the California gold camps.
Other
Object of History: The Gold Nugget
Audio-pictorial overview of the story of the California gold rush.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Rivals in the Newspaper Field
This article from the Sacramento Bee discusses the rise of journalism during the California gold rush. Many journalists left their jobs and headed west to cover this great event.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Justice Wasn't Pretty but It Was Quick
This CalGoldRush.com site contains information on justice and law in California during the gold rush. Many felons lost their lives at the end of a rope.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Gold in California
The gold rush in California accelerated the western migration of thousands of young American men, who streamed into California to find riches. See who else arrived in California and find out what they did. In addition, there is a map...
Oakland Museum of California
California's Untold Stories: Art of the Gold Rush
The Oakland Museum presents an exhibit of art that show the miners, mining towns, new cities, and people of the Gold Rush. Be sure to read the overview of the exhibit to get the historical background.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Mining Boom
The allure of getting rich quick by finding gold or silver was just a dream for most prospectors. Read about the gold and silver rushes that usually ended up enriching the mining industry, not the miner. Find out about the make-up of the...
Oakland Museum of California
Gold Rush: Entertainment
Many individuals made money during the gold rush without finding any gold. This resource dicusses how many actors and musicians made money entertaining lonely miners. There is also an audio version.
Oakland Museum of California
Gold Rush: Gold Fever! Prospecting
This resource presents information about prospecting. You will learn about the history and see pictures on how it was done.
Oakland Museum of California
Giant Gold Machines Hard Rock Mining
This page gives a brief explanation of extracting hard rock quartz. This was a labor intensive process that was often dangerous, but necessary to find gold.
Oakland Museum of California
Gold Rush: Miners and Sluice Boxes
This resource provides a picture and short description of the miners' use of the sluice box.
Curated OER
Hydraulic Mining
Provides pictures and information about hydraulic mining (using jets of water to break down gold-laden gravel banks) for gold.
Curated OER
Hydraulic mining.jpg, 0 Bytes
Provides pictures and information about hydraulic mining (using jets of water to break down gold-laden gravel banks) for gold.
Curated OER
Hart Stereoview #61, Hydraulic Mining
Provides pictures and information about hydraulic mining (using jets of water to break down gold-laden gravel banks) for gold.