As Good As Gold

The California Gold Rush sparked many people to try for their fortunes and led to the formation of some well-known California cities. Have your class read about the changes that happened and then respond to the five included questions.

Why are US dollars no longer backed by gold and silver? What is our medium of exchange, and what would it be like to live in a barter economy? Learners consider these questions, as well as learn about the major historical events in the...

In this historical reading comprehension learning exercise, students read a factual account of the Gold Rush. Students answer 14 questions about the passage.

Eighth graders examine the economics of the California Gold Rush Era using factual and fictional biographies. Working in groups, a biographical sketch is analyzed in order to determine if their individual became rich or not, how or what...

How did the emergence of the Gold Rush in California lead to the development of an urban society, largely connected to a wider world of trade? Young historians review and analyze eight primary source documents to discover the cultural...

Learn the value of a dollar in this video, which explains the natural transition from the gold standard. Asking viewers if they would trust gold or the U.S. Government, Sal explains how the concept of wealth has shifted and adapted...

People use the gold standard to describe the highest quality possible, but in reality, measuring wealth by the gold standard isn't very effective. Discover the ways the Federal Reserve ensures that prices remain stable with a video that...

Students examine historical images of the Alaskan Gold Rush and complete a worksheet to better explain this era. They create a PowerPoint related to the images.

What do pizza, jeans, and gold have in common? Give up? They are all products that require natural, human, or capital resources to be mined or produced. They also require a market price that can fluctuate with the ebb of supply and...

Part two of this seven-part series examines the structure, economy, and legacy left by the great Gupta Empire. Wonderful documentary film footage, images of India's architecture, and primary source documents make this a very good resource.