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Gold Rush Basic Knowledge Trivia Quiz

This is the Era of the Gold Rush. See if you know your California Gold Rush history.

A multiple-choice quiz by Jam95. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
Jam95

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
307,082

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
1948

Question 1 of 10

1. Who was the president of the U.S. in the Era of the Gold Rush? Hint

Andrew Jackson

John Q. Adams

William H. Harrison

James K. Polk

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Question 2 of 10

2. How was gold extracted? Hint

By panning

By digging with a shovel

By mining with pickles

By raking in the ground

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Question 3 of 10

3. James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill, California.

True

False

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Question 4 of 10

4. What did the Gold Rush cause in San Francisco? Hint

An increased number of animals

The arrival of mysterious diseases from other countries

An increase in the population

Pirates seeking gold

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Question 5 of 10

5. Who found gold and invented a jeans company? Hint

John Sutter

Levi Strauss

James Marshall

Chinese people

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Question 6 of 10

6. What were the miners called in the Gold Rush? Hint

California gold miners

Forty-niners

Forty-six miners

Gold Men

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Question 7 of 10

7. In which city in California was gold discovered? Hint

Coloma

Hangstown

San Francisco

Veracruz

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Question 8 of 10

8. Along what "trails" did many people came to California? Hint

Oregon Trail and Santa Fe Trail

San Francisco and Oregon Trail

California and Texas Trail

Santa Fe and Mexican Trail

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Question 9 of 10

9. What role did women play in the Gold Rush? Hint

they watched how men found gold

they stole the gold of the others for their men

they guided the men

they took care of men

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of these groups was NOT interested in gold? Hint

women

missionaries

Native Americans

merchants

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the president of the U.S. in the Era of the Gold Rush?

Answer: James K. Polk

On December 5, Polk confirmed the discovery of gold in an address to Congress which sent waves of immigrants to California from around the world.

2. How was gold extracted?

Answer: By panning

Gold was extracted or found by filling the plate or bowl with the sand found in the river and shaking it to see if there is a nugget of gold.

3. James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill, California.

Answer: True

James Marshall was working in the river and found gold. Then he showed it to John Sutter, and they both made a quick fortune while keeping the discovery of gold a secret.

4. What did the Gold Rush cause in San Francisco?

Answer: An increase in the population

The Gold Rush caused a huge and cosmopolitan expansion of population in San Francisco because of the news about gold. It soon became the leading city on the West Coast of the U.S. and held this position for well over fifty years.

5. Who found gold and invented a jeans company?

Answer: Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis worked together, using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets of denim work pants to create jeans - which proved extremely popular and made them rich.

6. What were the miners called in the Gold Rush?

Answer: Forty-niners

They were called "forty-niners" because many reached California in 1849, the year that the Gold Rush started. The immigrants that reached California in 1848 were called "forty-eighters".

7. In which city in California was gold discovered?

Answer: Coloma

It was the closest city to the American River and close to Sutter's Mill. In the years that followed gold was also founded in other parts of California, such as Yreka.

8. Along what "trails" did many people came to California?

Answer: Oregon Trail and Santa Fe Trail

They used these trails because it was often quicker reach California by trekking in covered wagons than going around South America. However, overland travel was more hazardous, and about half the migrants arrived by sea, either by sailing round South America or by sailing to Panama, trekking to the Pacific and sailing again from there.

9. What role did women play in the Gold Rush?

Answer: they took care of men

Women in the Gold Rush helped men by cooking their food and cleaning their clothes.

10. Which of these groups was NOT interested in gold?

Answer: Native Americans

Native Americans weren't interested because they liked the "white men's gifts" such as tobacco, guns and animal skins.

Source: Author Jam95

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