University of California: Calisphere: Gold Rush Era, 1848 1865: Growth of Cities

Explore original images depicting scenes of ethnic diversity in California during the Gold Rush years.

Learners compare contemporary cultural differences with historical differences based on population percentage. In this cross-curriculum Gold Rush/math instructional activity, students analyze aspects of California's Gold Rush population...

From Primary source images and informational text learn about the natural and human-driven resources and land use in California and how they have contributed to the growth of California.

Images showing early California exploration and settlement dating from 1780s through the 1830s and describing the social, political, cultural, and economic life and interactions among pre-Columbian people of California.

Primary source images and informational text highlight the diverse population found in mid 19th century California.

Collection of photos and drawings depicting early California elite and maps of land use from which students can learn about the transformation of the California economy and its political and cultural development in the 1800s.

Upon hearing of the gold discovery at Sutter's Mill in California in the 1840s, a flood of migrants went West in search of wealth and fame. Others, such as Chinese workers, came from farther away. Using video clips from historians and...

The lives of middle-class Victorian women were circumscribed by strict standards that governed all aspects of behavior. To gain a better understanding of the Victorian Ideals for women, class members research the life of a middle-class...

Primary source images that highlight Chinese immigrants to California, the perceptions held about them and the sentiment leading to the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Original photos depicting the rise of industry and the transformation of the American workplace.