California Gold Rush of 1849 encouraged people

1. California Gold Rush of 1849 encouraged people to begin looking for gold along the Yukon River in Canada in the 1880’s. California Gold Rush of 1849 encouraged people to begin looking for gold along the Yukon River in Canada in the 1880’s.

2. How it all began… • Robert Henderson of Nova Scotia casually mentioned where he had been prospecting for gold to George Washington Carmack in August of 1896. • Carmack and his family prospected along the tributaries of the Yukon River and found “gold shining like cheese in a sandwich.” • Carmack staked three claims and then boasted about his find. • He should (by the miner’s code) have told Robert Henderson. • When Henderson returned, all the land had been claimed.

3. So…when two ships loaded with gold arrived in Seattle in 1897, everyone wanted to go to Alaska to find gold and get rich. ~Getting rich seemed great to those experiencing hard times due to the “Panic of ’93.”

5. How to get there: ~Boat from Seattle ~Then by mostly by foot over hundreds of miles of dangerous terrain ~Cost: $250-$500 per person for supplies(outfit) ~100,000 people set out ~40,000 made it to Dawson City ~½ looked for gold ~4,000 found it ~200 struck it rich

6. The tools

7. Rocks with specks of gold

8. Gold flecks

9. Mining Operation