THE WHOLE WORLD RUSHED IN:

THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH

I.   Introduction:  Gold Rush Mythology

A.  An Arcadian Era...?
B.  ...or a lawless one?
C.  In Search of Wealth

II.  How Does It Start?

A.  James Marshall and Sutter's Mill
B.  Samuel Brannan
C.  The Gold Rush Begins
D.  The Forty-Eighters

III.  Getting to California

A.  Seeing the Elephant
B.  Three Routes
        1.  Around Cape Horn
        2.  Isthmus of Panama
        3.  Overland
C.  California's Diversity

IV.  Mining for Gold

A.  Brief Geology Lesson
B.  Mining Methods
        1.  Placer Mining
                a.  pan, rocker, Long Tom, dam building
        2.  Hydraulic Mining
        3.  Quartz Mining

V.  Life in the Diggings

A.  "Time is Money"
        1.  Abysmal Living Conditions
B.  Mining Regulations
C.  Lynch Law
D.  The Commodification of Life
        1.  High Prices
E.  Camp Pleasures
F.  Women

VI.  Conclusion:  Assessing the Significance of the Gold Rush

A.  Long-term Consequences
B.  A Pivotal Moment