Gold Was Discovered in California in 1848

 Events
Jan 242024
 
California Miners Photograph Ad Meskens

California Miners
Photograph Ad Meskens

Gold was discovered in California in 1848 by John Sutter and John Marshall. They were building a sawmill when they noticed flakes of gold in the water. Most of the forty-niners rushed to the Mother Lode country, part of the western foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Over 90,000 people had reached California by 1849, and the population topped 220,000 by 1852. The rush had declined by 1854, and most prospectors turned to other jobs. Idea: Children could find out how mine claims are made legal and how assays prove metal content of ore. Children could learn more at: California Gold. Children would really enjoy reading Sid Fleischman’s excellent historical fiction book  By the Great Horn Spoon!

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Was Signed in 1848

 Events
Feb 022024
 

Map of Land Affected by the Treaty

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in 1848, ending the war between Mexico and the United States. In return for fifteen million dollars from the United States, Mexico gave up the land that became California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Texas also became part of the United States.

Happy Birthday, Wisconsin!

 Events
May 292024
 
Wisconsin State Flag

Wisconsin Flag

Wisconsin became the thirtieth state of the United States in 1848. Its nicknames include the Badger State and the Dairy State. Madison is the state capital. Its name seems to date back to an Ojibwa word, “wishkonsing,” perhaps meaning “the place where we live.” Wisconsin’s state beverage is milk, and the state grain is corn. Children could visit an Internet site at: Wisconsin.  They could also sample some Wisconsin cheese.

Seneca Falls Convention – 1848

 Events
Jul 192024
 
Statue of Lucretia Mott

Statue of Lucretia Mott

Seneca Falls Convention, an early women’s rights convention, was held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. For two days the women debated voting rights, property rights, and laws regarding divorce. Speakers included Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Frederick Douglass. The meetings became an annual event until the Civil War broke out. Children can learn more at: Convention.