Settlers and Trails Migration Quiz

Questions and Answers

In the 1830s and 1840s what trail did settlers take to move to California?

The Oregon Trail

Where did the Oregon Trail split into the California Trail and the other Oregon Trail?

At the Snake River in present-day Idaho

What route did people bound for California take?

The southern route, known as the California Trail

Where did the California Trail run through?

The Sierra Nevada mountain range Signup and view all the answers

What did emigrants and traders on the California Trail try to do?

Cross the mountains before the season's first snows Signup and view all the answers

Many Americans who traveled along the California Trail settled in California.

False Signup and view all the answers

What were American merchants usually more interested in?

Trading goods made in factories Signup and view all the answers

What did merchants trade for from Mexico?

Gold and silver coins, hides, and hallow Signup and view all the answers

What did California soon become for traders?

A meeting ground for traders from Mexico and the United States Signup and view all the answers

What did California's population consist mostly of before the Mexican-American War?

Mexicans and Native Americans Signup and view all the answers

Mexican officials wanted many Americans to settle in California when Mexico controlled it.

False Signup and view all the answers

Who did the Mexican officials give permission to start a colony in California?

John Sutter Signup and view all the answers

Where was Sutter Fort located?

Near the Sacramento River Signup and view all the answers

What happened to Sutter's Fort?

It became a popular rest stop for many American emigrants Signup and view all the answers

What did John Sutter create?

Sutter Fort Signup and view all the answers

What were some Anglo Californians publishing by the mid-1840s?

Newspaper advertisements and guidebooks encouraging settlers to move West Signup and view all the answers

What was the Donner Party?

A group of western travelers who went to California but were stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during winter Signup and view all the answers

When did the Donner Party begin its journey west?

In the spring of 1846 Signup and view all the answers

How did the Donner Party get lost?

They left the main trail trying to find a shortcut Signup and view all the answers

What happened when the Donner Party reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains?

They became trapped by heavy snows and were stuck with almost no food Signup and view all the answers

Was the Donner Party saved? What happened?

A rescue party found them in February 1847; of the original 87 travelers, 42 had died Signup and view all the answers

How did John Marshall find the first gold nugget that started the gold rush?

He picked up a piece of shining gold near Sutter's Mill while building a sawmill Signup and view all the answers

How did Sutter's and Marshall's secret about the gold break loose?

A Native American worker shouted gold near their work site Signup and view all the answers

What did Sutter's workers do to find gold?

They quit to search for gold Signup and view all the answers

How did the story of the gold nugget spread?

Stories rapidly spread, and President Polk confirmed the gold strike in December 1848 Signup and view all the answers

How many gold-seekers came to California in 1849?

About 80,000 Signup and view all the answers

What are forty-niners?

Gold-seeking migrants to California Signup and view all the answers

How many percent of the forty-niners were Americans?

Nearly 80 percent Signup and view all the answers

How were forty-niners' journeys to California?

Most braved long and often dangerous journeys Signup and view all the answers

How did easterners and Europeans arrive in California?

Many arrived via sea routes Signup and view all the answers

What did Midwestern gold-seekers usually travel West in?

Wagon trains Signup and view all the answers

Where did most forty-niners first arrive?

In San Francisco Signup and view all the answers

What port town became a convenient trade center for travelers?

San Francisco Signup and view all the answers

How much did San Francisco's population increase from 1848 to 1850?

From around 800 to more than 25,000 Signup and view all the answers

Few of the forty-niners had any previous gold-mining experience.

True Signup and view all the answers

How was mining work for the forty-niners?

Difficult and time-consuming Signup and view all the answers

Where would the forty-niners mine?

An area that ran for 70 miles along rivers in northern California Signup and view all the answers

What were the rules of gold mining?

The first person to arrive at a site would stake a claim Signup and view all the answers

How did early miners mine for gold?

They banded together to prospect for gold and shared their finds Signup and view all the answers

What happened when one mining group abandoned a claim?

Another group that found the claim would be allowed to mine there Signup and view all the answers

What happened when two or more groups arrived in an area at the same time?

Competition often led to conflict and occasionally violent disputes Signup and view all the answers

How did mining methods vary?

According to the location Signup and view all the answers

What was the most popular mining method and where was it done?

Placer mining, done along rivers and streams Signup and view all the answers

What did placer miners use?

Pans or other devices to wash gold nuggets out of loose rock and gravel Signup and view all the answers

What did miners do to reach gold deposits buried in the hills?

They had to dig shafts and tunnels Signup and view all the answers

How much did California's yearly gold production peak in 1853?

More than $60 million Signup and view all the answers

What inspired many miners?

Individual success stories Signup and view all the answers

What were some individual success stories of miners?

One found two and a half pounds of gold in 15 minutes; two African American miners found a rich deposit known as Negro Hill Signup and view all the answers

The vast majority of miners became rich.

False Signup and view all the answers

Where did mining camps spring up?

Wherever enough people gathered to look for gold Signup and view all the answers

What were examples of mining camp names and what were they named after?

Hangtown or Poker Flat; often colorful names tied to local lore Signup and view all the answers

Where did miners come from and what were most miners?

Miners came from many cultures; most were young, unmarried men Signup and view all the answers

How many percent of gold-rush immigrants were women or children?

5% Signup and view all the answers

How did hardworking women generally make good money?

By cooking meals, washing clothes, and operating boardinghouses Signup and view all the answers

Who was a hardworking woman in California?

Catherine Haun Signup and view all the answers

What did Haun's husband conclude about mining?

He could make more money practicing law than panning for gold Signup and view all the answers

How did Haun's husband make money during the gold rush?

By supplying miners with food, clothing, and other services Signup and view all the answers

Why did miners pay high prices for basic necessities?

Because the large amounts of gold in circulation caused severe inflation Signup and view all the answers

Who took full advantage of these conditions for free enterprise?

A Georgia slaveholder who discovered most Californians opposed slavery Signup and view all the answers

What happened after Mason and her family moved to Los Angeles?

She saved money to purchase land and became wealthy Signup and view all the answers

What attracted miners from around the world?

The lure of gold in California Signup and view all the answers

What did most miners from China and other places hope?

To find great wealth and then return home Signup and view all the answers

What were Chinese immigrants miners known as?

Gam saan haak Signup and view all the answers

What does gam saan haak mean?

Travelers to Gold Mountain Signup and view all the answers

How many Chinese men moved to California between 1849 and 1853?

About 24,000 Signup and view all the answers

What did Chinese immigrants soon discover in California?

Many Americans did not welcome them and faced discrimination Signup and view all the answers

Despite poor treatment of immigrants in California, what did they do?

Many Chinese immigrants still worked in the gold mines Signup and view all the answers

What did some Chinese immigrants work as?

Ploughmen, laundry men, placer miners, and other professions Signup and view all the answers

How many immigrants arrived in California in 1849 alone and from where?

About 20,000 immigrants from China, Europe, Mexico, and South America Signup and view all the answers

What did immigrants intend to do after they made their fortunes?

Return home Signup and view all the answers

How did some immigrants make money that were not miners?

Some began businesses Signup and view all the answers

Who earned a fortune by making tough denim pants for miners?

Levi Strauss Signup and view all the answers

What happened during the Spanish and Mexican periods of settlement?

California's population grew slowly; the forty-niners changed this dramatically Signup and view all the answers

What did California's population explosion do?

Made it eligible for statehood only two years after being acquired by the United States Signup and view all the answers

What happened in 1850?

California became the 31st state Signup and view all the answers

What had negative consequences for many Californios and California Native Americans?

Fast population growth Signup and view all the answers

What happened in addition to rapid population growth?

A flood of new businesses and industries transformed California's economy Signup and view all the answers

What remained an important part of the state's economy?

Gold mining Signup and view all the answers

How did Californians soon discover other ways to make a living?

Through farming and ranching Signup and view all the answers

How was California faced with an obstacle to growth?

The state was isolated from the rest of the country Signup and view all the answers

What was the answer to the isolation problem in California?

Bringing the railroad all the way to California Signup and view all the answers

What gave Californians the means to grow a stronger economy?

Completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Settlers and Trails

Settlers in the 1830s and 1840s primarily used the Oregon Trail to migrate to California.
The Oregon Trail split into the California Trail at the Snake River in present-day Idaho.
Travelers heading for California generally took the southern route known as the California Trail.
The California Trail traversed the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Migration Dynamics

Emigrants aimed to cross the Sierra Nevada before the winter snows, emphasizing the urgency of their journey.
A surprising fact is that, despite many Americans traveling the California Trail, only a few chose to settle in California.
Merchants were more inclined towards trading factory goods rather than establishing settlements.
They traded goods such as gold, silver coins, hides, and hallow with Mexico.

Sutter and California's Population

John Sutter was granted permission by Mexican officials to establish a colony in California, creating Sutter's Fort near the Sacramento River.
Sutter's Fort became a popular rest stop for emigrants and traders.
Before the Mexican-American War, California's population mainly consisted of Mexicans and Native Americans.

The Donner Party

The Donner Party, a group of westward travelers, got stranded in the Sierra Nevada during winter after deviating from the main trail.
They began their journey in spring 1846 and faced dire conditions upon reaching the Sierra, with heavy snows and food scarcity.
A rescue party found them in February 1847, but out of the original 87 members, 42 had died.

Gold Discovery and Rush

The discovery of gold by John Marshall in January 1848 near Sutter's Mill triggered the California Gold Rush.
Sutter and Marshall initially kept the gold discovery secret until a Native American worker revealed it, leading to a rush for gold.
By 1849, approximately 80,000 gold-seekers, known as "forty-niners," flocked to California in hopes of wealth.

Immigration and Demographics

Nearly 80% of the forty-niners were Americans, with the remaining percentage coming from various global regions.
Most forty-niners faced long, treacherous journeys, while easterners and Europeans often traveled by sea.
San Francisco emerged as a primary port and trade center with a dramatic population surge from 800 in March 1848 to over 25,000 by 1850.

Mining Experiences

Few forty-niners had mining experience, and mining was often arduous and time-consuming.
The first to arrive at a mining site would "stake a claim," with miners banding together to prospect gold.
Mining methods varied based on location, with placer mining being the most common along rivers.

Economic Impact and Diversity

California's gold production peaked in 1853, generating over $60 million annually.
Most miners did not achieve riches, and mining camps formed rapidly wherever groups gathered.
Camp names were often colorful and diverse, reflecting the various cultures of miners, mostly young men seeking adventure.

Role of Women and Businesses

Women, though only 5% of gold rush immigrants, often earned good money through domestic services and businesses.
Levi Strauss gained wealth producing durable denim pants tailored for miners, highlighting entrepreneurial opportunities.

Ethnic Diversity Among Miners

The gold rush attracted thousands, including approximately 24,000 Chinese immigrants seeking fortune.
Many faced hostility; California imposed a tax on foreign miners, and some encountered violence.
Chinese immigrants also worked in diverse roles beyond mining, such as domestic servants and artisans.

California's Transformation

California's population explosion and economic transformation followed the arrival of the forty-niners.
By 1850, California achieved statehood as the 31st state in the U.S., influenced by rapid growth.
Gold mining remained a key economic activity, but agriculture and ranching also flourished.

Infrastructure Development

California faced challenges of isolation that hindered trade and transportation.
The transcontinental railroad, completed in 1869, resolved these issues and bolstered the economy.
Improved infrastructure facilitated commerce, allowing California to develop a stronger economy.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the migration of settlers during the 1830s and 1840s, focusing on the Oregon and California Trails. Learn about the dynamics of migration, the challenges faced by emigrants, and key figures like John Sutter. This quiz will help you understand the historical context and impact of westward expansion.