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Gold Rush Trivia Quiz

These are some questions on one of the largest migrations of all times, the California gold rush. I hope you will enjoy this! :-)

A multiple-choice quiz by skullboy_765. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
skullboy_765

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
265,802

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
2662

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What date was gold discovered in California? Hint

16 June,1739

January 24,1848

31 February, 1832

11 December, 2001

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Question 2 of 10

2. Who discovered gold? Hint

James Marshall

Levi Strauss

Jedidiah Strong Smith

John Sutter

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Question 3 of 10

3. Who was one of the most successful entrepreneurs and was known for his wonderful idea of making blue jeans during the gold rush?
Hint

Mary Kay

James Lawson Conrad

Levi Strauss

Alvin Ailey Dance

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Question 4 of 10

4. What mountain range in the U.S. lies immediately to the east of the mining area? Hint

Sierra Nevada

Andes

Rocky Mountain

Himalayas

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Question 5 of 10

5. Where was gold discovered? Hint

Coloma

San Francisco

Sacramento

San Jose

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Question 6 of 10

6. Ships going to the mines were anchored in San Diego Bay.

True

False

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Question 7 of 10

7. People from other parts of the world were not allowed to mine gold in California.

True

False

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Question 8 of 10

8. What was the common punishment for people who stole gold that was not theirs? Hint

they had their ears chopped off

put in jail

there are hanged

there was no punishment

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Question 9 of 10

9. What were people called who came to California to mine? Hint

niner miners

forty-niners

ninety-fivers

fifty-niners

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Question 10 of 10

10. The favorite expression of the miners was "By the great horn spoon!".

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What date was gold discovered in California?

Answer: January 24,1848

Gold was discovered in 1848, and later miners that came to California were called 'forty-niners' because most of them came in 1849. Miners came to California from all over the world. The Chinese called California the 'gold mountain'.

2. Who discovered gold?

Answer: James Marshall

James Marshall discovered gold while working on the Sutter's Mill. While this new spread the workers at Sutter's Mill caught gold fever and they left the work and started digging for gold.

3. Who was one of the most successful entrepreneurs and was known for his wonderful idea of making blue jeans during the gold rush?

Answer: Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss jeans were liked by miners because they were tough, long-lasting and had metal rivets. Some people came to California in search of gold but instead opened new businesses. Levi Strauss jeans are still popular today.

4. What mountain range in the U.S. lies immediately to the east of the mining area?

Answer: Sierra Nevada

Miners would stand in the melted snow (water) from the Sierra Nevada all day panning for gold. It was said by one miner "when I take my legs out of the water I can hardly feel them any more".

5. Where was gold discovered?

Answer: Coloma

Coloma was in the Central Valley. It is located 53 miles north of Sacramento, the state capital. Sutter's Mill was located there.

6. Ships going to the mines were anchored in San Diego Bay.

Answer: False

Ships were anchored in San Francisco Bay because that was the closest to the mines. San Francisco's population rocketed from 800 in 1848 to 35,000 in 1849.

7. People from other parts of the world were not allowed to mine gold in California.

Answer: False

People from all around the world came to California. In fact laundry was sent to China because it was cheaper over there! Eggs cost $3 each. Food was so scarce those days that gold was worth as much as flour!

8. What was the common punishment for people who stole gold that was not theirs?

Answer: they had their ears chopped off

Most people were not put in jail because there were no jails in some mining camps.
During the Gold Rush there were no laws. Vigilantes took laws in their own hands and punished people for things they hadn't done.

9. What were people called who came to California to mine?

Answer: forty-niners

They were called forty-niners because most of them came in 1849. Among the forty-niners there were very few women. Women were rare in those places.

10. The favorite expression of the miners was "By the great horn spoon!".

Answer: True

There is a book entitled "By the Great Horn Spoon" written by Sid Fleischman.

Source: Author skullboy_765

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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