California Before the Gold Rush

1. California Before the Gold Rush • Spain had set up missions in CA to secure their claims to the area

2. California Under Mexico • Mexico, when they gained their independence, converted the missions into presidios • Offered citizens land grants, called rancheros, if they moved to the California Territory

3. Americans Moving West • In search of land ownership, at a cheap price, many who lived in the U.S. looked west • Louisiana Purchase • Oregon Country • Mexican Territory • Texas • California

4. Why Oregon & California instead of the Great Plains? 1. Fertile Land

5. 2. Manifest Destiny 3. Accessibility by Ship 4. Trade • China • Spice Islands

6. Some people were willing to trek to Northern California • Year-round mild climate • Sufficient rainfall for farming • Potential trade ports

7. Main CA Destination: San Francisco Area • Had a deep and large natural harbor • Had inland rivers that fed into it • Difficult to access from east coast by land and/or water

8. Getting to California before 1848 1. By Land or 2. By Sea

9. By Land • To the end of the Oregon Trail • Then south to California

10. Getting to California by Land • Many were reluctant to move to California because the Sierra Nevada Mountains were difficult to get around and there was no known route through them that could be reached before winter

11. Getting to California by Ocean • Passing South America around Cape Horn was treacherous, cold and may cost lives

12. Get off on eastern coast of Panama 2-3 day hike from Gulf of Mexico to Pacific Ocean Wait for a ship on western coast Could take a few days or months Often ended up being the same ship Risk catching malaria and dying Panama: Short Cut

13. Destination in CA: Sutter’s Fort • Many who came to CA sought refuge at Sutter’s fort • Founded by John Sutter during Mexico’s control of CA

14. Founder: John Sutter • Born in Switzerland as Johann Sutter • Failed Businessman • 1834 he left his wife and kids to try his business luck in America • Came to California in 1839

15. Farmed wheat, barley, peas and beans Produced & traded whiskey & brandy Exported wheat to Russia Issued passports to American Immigrants -- his future customers Sutter’s Fort

16. Hastings Cutoff • Hasting knew there had to be a more direct way to get to Sutter’s Fort in California • Without ever traveling the cutoff, he published directions and they were sold to pioneers on the Oregon Trail

17. Donner Party • The Reed & Donner Families left Springfield, IL on April 18, 1846 • They joined the Russell Train outside of Independence, MO • The train left in mid May, 1846

18. Donner Party decides to take the short cut • In July they get word that Hastings will lead trains across his short cut • Hastings would meet trains at Ft. Bridger in present day Wyoming

19. Hastings had already left Ft. Bridger by the time the Reed-Donner Party arrived • With 74 people and 20 wagons the Donner Party sets off to catch up with Hastings • Some ride ahead to catch him • Hastings advises they take a different route

20. They spent 15 days hacking through the terrain of the route Hastings suggested The Donner Party was now about 3 weeks behind the Hastings Party & would never catch up

21. The Donner Party made a few wrong turns and barely made it to the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains before winter

22. They had also wasted a lot of precious time backtracking

23. By the time they reached the Sierra Nevada, winter had arrived early and the Donner Party missed the opportunity to cross the Sierra Nevada by 1 day

24. The Snow cut them off until early Spring

25. They built makeshift housing and resorted to cannibalism in order to survive

26. Rescue • Some members of the Donner Party had gone ahead to Sutter’s Fort before the snow had completely cut them off • They were able to get help but the snow prevented any rescue attempt until early spring

27. Statistics of the Donner Party • Of the Donner family: George his wife died at the camp, so did his brother Jacob and his wife, and almost all the Donner children • James Reed had reached Sutter's fort and led one of the rescue parties.  His family survived  • Patrick Breen’s family all survived • In total, of the 87 men, women and children in the Donner party, 46 survived, 41 died.

28. Spring Rescue • The rescue parties were horrified at what had happened • Few survivors were ever willing to talk about what happened James Reed & daughter Patty

29. News of the Donner Party • News of the Donner’s fate spread all over the U.S. • Emigration to CA dropped drastically until gold was found near Sacramento in 1848

30. 1. How did Spain secure their claim to the California Territory? • They set up forts every 100 miles along the coast • They set up trading ports in San Diego, San Pedro, Monterey, and San Francisco • They formed a treaty with England, France, Russia, and the United States • They established missions

31. #2.Why were so many people living in the United States moving west before 1848?Choose all that apply • To own land • To get away from the recession in the east • To search for gold • To start a new life • Fulfill the belief in Manifest Destiny • Profit from trade with Asia

32. #3Why were some people attracted to northern California? • Because it was easier to get to than Oregon • Because of the mild climate • Because the Native-Americans were peaceful

33. #4Why was California so difficult to reach? • Had to sail around south America or cross the Andes to get there • Had to either sail around South Africa or cross the Appalachian Mountains to get there • Had to travel to Oregon first or sail around South America or cross Panama and risk malaria

34. #5 Where was the main destination for U.S. emigrants to California? • Sutter’s Fort • San Francisco • Sacramento • Los Angeles • Monterey

35. #6 What delayed the Donner Party? • They rested too often • They got lost and also spent too much time hacking a new path • They had to stop due to illness & fatigue

36. #7 Why did emigration to California drop in the mid 1840s? • There weren’t any settlements in California • The land was not suitable for farming • California was too difficult to reach by ship • The fate of the Donner Party scared off potential emigrants

37. 1. How did Spain secure their claim to the California Territory? • They set up forts every 100 miles along the coast • They set up trading ports in San Diego, San Pedro, Monterey, and San Francisco • They formed a treaty with England, France, Russia, and the United States • They established missions

38. #2.Why were so many people living in the United States moving west before 1848?Choose all that apply • To own land • To get away from the recession in the east • To search for gold • To start a new life • Fulfill the belief in Manifest Destiny • Profit from trade with Asia

39. #3Why were some people attracted to northern California? • Because it was easier to get to than Oregon • Because of the mild climate • Because the Native-Americans were peaceful

40. #4Why was California so difficult to reach? • Had to sail around south America or cross the Andes to get there • Had to either sail around South Africa or cross the Appalachian Mountains to get there • Had to travel to Oregon first or sail around South America or cross Panama and risk malaria

41. #5 Where was the main destination for U.S. emigrants to California? • Sutter’s Fort • San Francisco • Sacramento • Los Angeles • Monterey

42. #6 What delayed the Donner Party? • They rested too often • They got lost and also spent too much time hacking a new path • They had to stop due to illness & fatigue

43. #7 Why did emigration to California drop in the mid 1840s? • There weren’t any settlements in California • The land was not suitable for farming • California was too difficult to reach by ship • The fate of the Donner Party scared off potential emigrants

44. D A,B,D,E,F B C A B D 1848: John Marshall finds Gold on Sutter’s Land Answers:

45. Routes to the West Unit Objective: examine the cause and effects of Independence Movements west & south of the United States; investigate and critique U.S. expansionism under the administrations of Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler, & Polk.

46. Routes to the West Map Exercise Turn to the map in your unit packet titled Routes to the West which shows the main trails followed by people traveling to the Southwest, Oregon, and California during the early and mid-1800s.

47. 1: Independence 2: Nauvoo 3: Fort Kearney 4: Fort Laramie 5: Independence Rock 6: Fort Bridger 7: Salt Lake City 8: Fort Hall Routes to the West Print the following place names next to the corresponding numbers:

48. 9: Fort Boise 10: Whitman Mission 11: Vancouver 12: Sacramento 13: Bent’s Fort 14: Santa Fe 15: Los Angeles Routes to the West Print the following place names next to the corresponding numbers:

49. Routes to the West • Trace the Santa Fe Trail by connecting the 16’s between Independence and Santa Fe. Print Santa Fe Trail next to it.

50. Routes to the West • Connect the 17’s between Santa Fe and Los Angeles, and label it the Old Spanish Trail