Open Resource
The Impact of the Gold Rush on Native Americans of California
This source investigation provides primary sources, maps, images, and background history to offer insight into a little-known but vitally important aspect of one of the most iconic events in American history—the California gold rush. Students will analyze sources to answer the question, Do American actions against California Native Americans during the gold rush meet the United Nations definition of genocide?
How to Use
Each source investigation provides a lesson plan and graphic organizers to guide students through a structured inquiry method, asking students to formulate a hypothesis in response to the central question. Students go through a process of hypothesis revision as they uncover evidence contained in each of the sources and build their own constructive argument.
For teaching instructions:
- About this Recource
- Lesson Plan
- Teacher & Student Instructions
- Introduction
- Graphic Organizers
2024 NK360° Summer Series | Teaching the Impact of the Gold Rush on Native Americans of California:
In this Resource
- Source Explorer
- Source A, “Horrible Slaughter of Indians”
- Source B, Survivor’s Account: “Story of Sally Bell (Sinkyone): The Massacre at Needle Rock” (ca. 1850)
- Source C, California Governor Peter Burnett’s State of the State address (January 6, 1851)
- Source D, Indian Appropriation Bill Congressional Debate Transcript (Senate, August 11, 1852)
- Source E, State of California Expenditures for Military Expeditions Against Indians, 1850–1852
- Source F, “Hunting Indians”
- Source G, “Horrible Massacre of Indians at Humboldt Bay”
- Source H, “Apprenticing Indians”
- Source I, An Act for the Payment of Expenses Incurred in the Suppression of Indian Hostilities in the State of California
- Source J, “Kidnapping Indians”
- Source K, Survivor’s Account: Lucy Young (Wailaki), Round Valley Indian Reservation
- Optional Extensions
- Introductory Essay
- Map Gallery
- Artist’s Perspective
NK360° & You: What Educators Say
Here’s what Emily P., an 11th grade teacher at Encinal Junior/Senior High School in California, had to say:
“This new knowledge transformed the way students thought about the gold rush by talking about the juxtaposition of the way the gold rush is depicted in the textbook and the new knowledge they got from the impacts group.”
How did you tie this lesson into your curriculum?
I used the resource to extend my Westward Expansion project where students have an aspect of Westward Expansion to research, learn, and teach to the class. Normally, one of my topics is the gold rush, but this year I added a new topic: impacts of the gold rush on Native Americans. It was super successful, and kids learned a lot about the downside of the gold rush in the U.S.
What did you do with your students?
Students created a Google slide presentation to explore the impacts of the gold rush on California Native Americans.
Teacher Reflection
NK360° was powerful for my students’ learning because they got to look at an event from different perspectives, and I always love to promote that for them.
For Classroom Use
Type: Online Resource
Format: Source Investigation
Grade: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subject: English Language Arts, History/Social Studies
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Format: Source Investigation
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Subject: English Language Arts, History/Social Studies
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For Classroom Use
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