The Impacts of the California Gold Rush on Native Americans

Author: This unit was  researched, authored, and edited by the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, California Indian Education for All, and the San Diego County Office of Education. Key writers and researchers of this unit are Cristapher Torres, Greg Hinchliff, Scott Bankert, Debbie Reese, Jean Mendoza and Taylor Melgoza.  The unit resources were designed and created from funding through the California Department of Education’s Native American Studies Model Curriculum grant and contract.

Grades: 8th-12th grade

Suggested Amount of Time: 60-90 minutes

Curriculum Themes

• History
• Cultural Strengths
• Relationship to Place
• Cross Curricular Integration

Learning Goals

Students will:

• Understand the key events and causes of the California Gold Rush.

• Analyze the effects of the Gold Rush on Native American communities, including displacement, violence, and cultural impacts.

• Explore multiple perspectives of settlers, miners, and Native Americans.

• Develop critical thinking and empathy through primary source analysis and collaborative activities.

Lesson Overview