Journeys West

Congratulations! You chose the role of Gold Miner.

Step One:
Begin your research by reading the passage titled The Discovery of Gold from "California As I Saw It", from the American Memory collections. While reading write down keywords on the Information Gathering worksheet to search the American Memory collections.

Step Two:
Consider the following questions while conducting reseach on your topic:

• What were the motivations of the Gold Miners who traveled west?
• What conditions did they encounter as they journeyed west?
• How did the conditions encountered influence their decisions?
• What were the conflicts between the Gold Miners and the native people they encountered?
• How did policies of the U.S. government influence Gold Miners?

Begin your research using the following links:

Gold Mines of California

Gold Miner

Step Three:
Try searching the collections using the following Information Gathering worksheet.

• An American Time Capsule: Three Centuries of Broadsides and Other Printed Ephemera

• "California As I Saw It": First-Person Narratives of California's Early Years, 1849-1900

• History of the American West, 1860-1920: Photographs from the Collection of the Denver Public Library

Step Four:
Using information from your research write a realistic letter to a friend or family member convincing them to journey west in search of gold. Edit and revise your letter according to the writing rubric.

Step Five:
All the Gold Miners will chronicle a journey west for the Pioneer Museum. Your combined exhibition must include a journal, map, timeline, broadside and at least one additional artifact. Study the project guidelines and then decide among your group which project you will contribute.

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