|
The Gold Rush of 1849
Below is a list of Writing Ideas to help you with your biography.
See our instructions if you need help
printing these Writing Ideas or finding Writing Ideas related
to other Topics.
- When did you hear of gold in California? Did you leave for California or did you stay home? Why?
- What did it feel like to be left behind while others went to California, or what was it like to leave? Did you fear that you would never see family and friends again?
- Describe the trip. What was the distance and how long did it take? What transportation did you use? What happened along the way that was memorable? Did everyone who attempted the journey with you make it? If not, what happened?
- What did you find when you made it to California? Where did you end up? What town did you stay in?
- Was it easy to find land for prospecting? How did you get access to land? Were there claim jumping problems?
- If you were a miner, what methods and tools did you use to find gold? Shovels and picks? Pans? Did you work alone or by yourself?
- Was it more difficult to find gold than people imagined? Did you strike it rich without much effort or did long hours of work result in disappointment? What did you do with any gold that you found?
- If you weren't a Caucasian American male, how were you treated in gold country? What were you and weren't you allowed to do? Did you think that your treatment was fair?
- If you weren't a prospector, what did you do? Were you a shopkeeper or a farmer that supplied the towns? How did the gold rush affect you or your business? Were you the spouse of a miner?
- Did you or anyone you knew come back from the gold country with a fortune? Did anyone come back broke? Were there people who never came back at all? What happened to them?
[ Continue with This Topic | Next Topic/List of Topics ]
|
 |
