Q 01/05

Where was gold discovered in January 1848, setting off the California gold rush?

A) Fort Ross on the coast

B) Rancho San Francisco

C) Placerita Canyon

D) Sutter's Mill at Coloma

Answer · why

D) Sutter's Mill at Coloma

Sutter's Mill at Coloma was a sawmill going up on the American River. Its owner, John Sutter, wanted the find kept quiet; instead his workers left for...

Q 02/05

Roughly how many people came to California during the gold rush?

A) 30,000

B) 100,000

C) 300,000

D) 1 million

Answer · why

C) 300,000

300,000 is the usual estimate, about half arriving by sea and half overland. The surge was enough to carry California from military rule to statehood ...

Q 03/05

Which bank and express company was founded in 1852 to serve gold rush California?

A) American Express

B) Wells Fargo

C) Western Union

D) Bank of America

Answer · why

B) Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo was started by two founders of American Express after that company declined to expand to California. It carried miners' gold, mail and mon...

Q 04/05

Which San Francisco merchant paraded a bottle of gold through the streets, shouting of riches from the American River?

A) John Sutter

B) Levi Strauss

C) Samuel Brannan

D) James Folger

Answer · why

C) Samuel Brannan

Samuel Brannan, a newspaper publisher and storekeeper, had good reason to shout. He set up stores selling supplies to prospectors, then spread the new...

Q 05/05

Which U.S. president confirmed the California gold discovery in an address to Congress in December 1848?

A) James K. Polk

B) Zachary Taylor

C) Millard Fillmore

D) Martin Van Buren

Answer · why

A) James K. Polk

James K. Polk told Congress the reports of gold would "scarcely command belief" had army officers on the spot not confirmed them. Within months, tens ...