Routes to the Gold Fields

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Routes to the Gold Fields
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On January 28, 1848 James Marshall discovers gold
at John Sutters mill in Coloma.
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Gold! Gold from the American River!

• May 1848When news of the gold discovery and
  samples of gold reached San Francisco and other
  towns in California, people headed to the
  mountains.

Challenge 1 If gold was discovered in January,
why did it take so long for news to spread?
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From where did they come?
Oregon Territory
British Isles
Eastern United States
Germany
China
France
Mexico
Australia
Chile
Peru

• Challenge 2 What countries did the Argonauts
  come from?

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How shall we travel?

• Three main routes
• Cape Horn
• Isthmus of Panama
• Overland

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Sea RouteCape Horn

• Argonauts traveled by ship south along the
  Atlantic coast of the United States,

The ship then sailed north along the Pacific
coast to San Francisco Bay where the passengers
would disembark.
around the southern tip of South America (Cape
Horn) and then into the Pacific Ocean.
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Sea RouteCape Horn

• Journey of 18,000 nautical miles

Challenge 3 What dangers did the Argonauts face
traveling by sea along the Cape Horn route to
California?
Took 5 to 8 months
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DangersOvercrowding

• Challenge 4 Why would over-selling passage on a
  ship be dangerous?

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DangersDisease
Cholera

• Scurvy

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DangersCape Horn
Courtesy of National Maritime Museum, London
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By Land and SeaIsthmus of Panama
Chagres

• Argonauts that wanted a faster route would sail
  to the Isthmus of Panama and the port town of
  Chagres.

From there they traveled by small boat up the
Chagres River and then rode mules through the
jungle to the other side of the isthmus.
Once they arrived in Panama City Argonauts had
to wait for a ship to sail them up the Pacific
coast to San Francisco Bay.
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By Land and SeaIsthmus of Panama

• By 1850 the journey took only 6 to 8 weeks.

Challenge 5 What dangers did the Argonauts
face during their journey across the Isthmus of
Panama?
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DangersDisease
Yellow Fever

• Malaria

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Land Route
Fort Hall
Council Bluffs
Fort Bridger
St. Joseph
Sacramento
Salt Lake City
Independence
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Oxen, Mules or Horses?

• Challenge 6 What dangers did the Argonauts meet
  along the overland trail?

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Dangersmountains and rivers
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DangersAccidents

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DangersDisease

Asiatic Cholera
Caused by infected drinking water
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The Gold Fields!

• Challenge 7 What challenges did this sudden
  increase in population bring to Californias
  economy and government?