Living in the Past

Social Studies

Students will imagine what it was like to live in America in the 1800s.

What You Need

• Access to the Internet or reference books
• A little self-discipline!

What To Do

1. Have students reread Boss of the Plains and then do research, using the Web or reference books, on life in the 1800s, particularly around the time of the Gold Rush. What sort of transportation did people use? What did they do for entertainment? How did they prepare their meals? How did they dress?
2. Ask students to imagine they live in the 1800s. Have them spend an evening at home without using any of the modern conveniences (except plumbing!) that we take for granted in the twenty-first century. Tell them to make a list of everything they gave up during their "night in the 1800s."
3. Have students share their experiences with the class.

Internet Resources

Gold Rush! America's Untold Stories
With an emphasis on the arts and artifacts of the era, this Web site from the Oakland Museum of California brings the Gold Rush era to life.
http://www.museumca.org/goldrush/index.html

Gold Rush Sesquicentennial
For detailed information about the history and impact of the Gold Rush, check out this Web site from the Sacramento Bee. It contains articles on aspects of the period ranging from the experiences of women, Asian immigrants, and Mexican citizens through effects on the environment.
http://www.calgoldrush.com