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Interactive
Other

The California Gold Country: The Mining Camps

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is based on the book The California Gold Country: Highway 49 Revisited by Elliot H. Koeppel. This page provides an interactive map showing gold mining camps that have survived and exist as towns today. Most of the place names...
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Lesson Plan
The Newberry Library

Newberry: Environmental History: Map 8: Mining in South Dakota, 1878

For Teachers K - 1st
Lessons for K-12 based on a series of maps teaches students about the environmental changes resulting from mining in South Dakota, 1878.
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Handout
Other

California Gold Country: No Place for a Woman?

For Students 9th - 10th
Information about women in the California gold camps.
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Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Mining Boom

For Students 5th - 8th
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...
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Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Gold in California

For Students 5th - 8th
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...
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Handout
Other

Illinois Labor History Society: Early Days of Coal Mining in Northern Illinois

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the coal boom of the late 1860s and learn about the difficult lives of the miners and their families.
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Website
Ancestry

Wise County Hist. Society: Coal Camps of Sw Virginia

For Students 9th - 10th
Excellent site devoted to the coal camps of southwestern Virginia. Great pictures, historic text, and personal narratives make this a wonderful resource for information on mining communities.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Libraries: From Horses to Horsepower: Studebaker Helps Move a Nation

For Students 9th - 10th
A timeline and comprehensive background of the Studebaker.
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Handout
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: Sacramento Was Gateway to Gold

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the growth and importance of Sacramento as a mining town in the California Gold Rush. From a larger site from the Sacramento Bee.
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Handout
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: Justice Wasn't Pretty but It Was Quick

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
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Handout
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: Culture Took Hold Despite Tough Crowds

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource contains information on the development of culture in California during the gold rush. Culture developed in spite of the harsh conditions and tough people.
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Primary
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: Religion Reclaimed Souls

For Students 9th - 10th
This article, entitled "Religion Reclaimed Souls as Mining Expanded," contains information on the developement of religion in California during the gold rush.
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Handout
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: Boring Diet Gave Miners Appetite for Dining

For Students 9th - 10th
This site discusses the eating habits of many of the miners during the California gold rush.
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Handout
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: Rivals in the Newspaper Field

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
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Handout
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: 'Real Women' Who Defied Stereotype

For Students 9th - 10th
This CalGoldRush.com site discusses the role of the women during the gold rush in California. They served in a variety of roles and many made more than miners. This page tells their stories.
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Handout
Sacramento Bee

Gold Rush: Some Found Riches, Many Found Themselves

For Students 9th - 10th
This site discusses how many miners never made it rich, but had an adventure of a lifetime during the California gold rush.
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Primary
Oakland Museum of California

California's Untold Stories: Art of the Gold Rush

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
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Handout
Other

Sierra Foothill Magazine: Gold Rush Women

For Students 9th - 10th
This article discusses the varied roles of women during the Gold Rush.
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Handout
Other

The Gold Rush: Gold Country

For Students 9th - 10th
A great look at the people who made money providing services for the miners in the California Gold Rush.
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Handout
Other

The Gold Rush: San Francisco

For Students 9th - 10th
This page discusses how the gold rush led to the massive growth of San Francisco.
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Handout
Oakland Museum of California

Gold Rush: Entertainment

For Students 9th - 10th
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.