People have hunted for gold since ancient times. People from the Stone Age used it for jewelry, and ancient Romans used it for money. Then, a little over 150 years ago, its discovery in California led to the Gold Rush.
Write a report about how gold was found during the California Gold Rush. To do so, you will research mining methods used at that time. Here are some questions to guide your research:
How did miners get gold from rock? What tools and methods did they use?
What mixtures did gold miners have to separate?
How did mining methods affect the land?
How did mining methods change over time and why?
Are you ready? Begin by visiting the Web sites listed in Step 2. Look for answers to the questions above, and write down what you learned in the note-taking boxes.
You may use search engines to research other Web sites. Or research the California Gold Rush at the library. When you have finished, follow Steps 3 and 4 to write your report.
Step 2. Research
Research answers to the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too! On each site, look for details that explain how gold was mined, and how mining affected the environment.
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