Oakland Museum of California
California's Untold Stories: Natives and Immigrants
This site provides a tour through the history of natives and immigrants to the California Gold Rush area, including African American, California Indian, Chinese, and Latino.
Other
The California Gold Country: The Mining Camps
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...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Contested Territories
This site highlights the westward expansion of settlers in North America and the effects this expansion had on Native Americans between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
Other
California Gold Country: No Place for a Woman?
Information about women in the California gold camps.
Oakland Museum of California
California's Untold Stories: Silver and Gold
This site provides a virtual tour of the mining of silver and gold in California through excellent photos and facts.
OpenStax
Open Stax: The Mexican American War, 1846 1848
After reading this section of a chapter on "Westward Expansion," students will be able to identify the causes of the Mexican-American War and describe the outcomes of the war in 1848 and the effect of the California Gold Rush on westward...
Other
Gold Rush Players: Johann Augustus Sutter
Chronicles the life of John Sutter who immigrated to America to find his fortune and then saw it crumble away after the discovery of gold at his mill.
Other
Gold Rush Players: James Wilson Marshall
This article provides a brief overview of the life of James Marshall, who discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: Ulysses S. Grant and the Gold Rush
From Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs is this description of his 1852 trip to California across Panama and his stay in San Francisco.
Other
Gold Rush Players: Joaquin Murieta
Information about the notorious Joaquin Murieta, Mexican miner who became a legend after a book was written about him in 1854.
Library of Congress
Loc: California History Collection: The Discovery of Gold
Contains an article on the discovery of gold in California at Sutter's Mill that resulted in the California Gold Rush.
Schools of California Online Resources for Education
Score: Gold Mountain Webquest
At this site from the Schools of California Online Resources for Education, students will travel back in time as Chinese Immigrants in this detailed WebQuest. By using the resources and links given, students will file a job profile,...
Other
California Gold Country: James W. Marshall's Account of First Discovery of Gold
James W. Marshall's own words about discovering gold at Sutter's Mill in California in 1848.
Curated OER
Object of History: Chinese Miners (Chinese Immigration During the Gold Rush)
An image is provided of "Gan Saam Meets El Dorado," which depicts the Chinese miners in California during the 1850s in search of gold.
Curated OER
Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in California: Coloma
Town where the California Gold Rush when James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's mill on January 24, 1848. Now a ghost town, it is a significant part of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.
Curated OER
Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in California: Columbia Historic District
Within two years of discovering gold in this town, it was the 3rd largest city in California. The historic district is now an open museum and the best preserved California Gold Rush town.
Curated OER
Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in California: Sutter's Fort
A 19th century agricultural and trade colony, it was known for its connection to the Donner Party, the California Gold Rush, and the formation of Sacramento as well as its proximity to the California Trail and Siskiyou Trails. Now a...
Curated OER
Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in California: Old United States Mint
Built for the San Francisco Mint in 1874 to handle the overflow from the California Gold Rush, this building is affectionately as The Granite Lady. It is one of the few that survivors of the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake and served...
Curated OER
Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in California: Bodie Historic District
Establish in 1859, it became a Gold Rush boomtown in 1876. It is currently a State park preserved in arrested decay, neither restored nor destroyed. It is one of very few towns of this type to survive untouched.
Sacramento Bee
Gold Rush: Streams Poisoned by Mercury
This CalGoldRush site discusses the damage mercury used in gold mining has done to California's environment
Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee: Polk Is Caught in the Rush
This site discusses James K. Polk's place in the gold rush of California in the 1840's.
Oakland Museum of California
Gold Rush: Indian Gold Washing
This resource contains information and a picture about Indian prospectors. It also contains an audio clip.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Regional Realism: Bret Harte
This is a brief biography featuring American realist author Bret Harte who drew attention to the life and sentiment of those in the West through his writings. Click on "Bret Harte Activities" for more resources.
PBS
New Perspectives on the West: James Wilson Marshall (1810 1885)
A brief biography of James Marshall who discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848, which led to the California Gold Rush.