Gold Rush Lingo

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Instructions: Strike it rich with vocabulary from the California Gold Rush era (1848-1855)

1.
During the Gold Rush, what was a 'forty-niner'?
A
A 49-ounce gold bar
B
A prospector who came to California in 1849
C
A type of gold nugget
D
A type of mining tool
2.
What did 'pay dirt' mean in Gold Rush slang?
A
Dirty money
B
Expensive land
C
Soil or gravel containing enough gold to be profitable
D
A bribe
3.
In Gold Rush vocabulary, what was a 'placer' mine?
A
An underground mine
B
A well-located mine
C
A mine where gold was extracted from surface deposits by washing
D
A fake mine used to scam investors
4.
What was a 'stake' in Gold Rush terminology?
A
A wooden post
B
A claim to a piece of land for mining
C
A gambling bet
D
A piece of dried meat
5.
During the Gold Rush, what did 'panning' refer to?
A
Making plans
B
Criticizing someone
C
Cooking outdoors
D
Using a shallow pan to wash gold from gravel in a stream
6.
What was a 'grubstake' in Gold Rush parlance?
A
Food cooked on a stake
B
A beggar's earnings
C
Supplies or money given to a miner in exchange for a share of findings
D
A type of mining tool
7.
In Gold Rush slang, what did 'color' mean?
A
Dye for clothing
B
A miner's flag
C
Skin complexion
D
Traces of gold found in a pan or sample
8.
What was a 'sluice box' during the Gold Rush?
A
A treasure chest
B
A juice container
C
A long narrow trough used to separate gold from gravel using water
D
A type of gambling box
9.
During the Gold Rush, what was a 'bonanza'?
A
A type of dance
B
A type of hat
C
A large and rich mineral deposit or source of wealth
D
A farewell party
10.
What did 'staking a claim' mean during the Gold Rush?
A
Building a fence
B
Officially marking and registering a plot of land for mining
C
Betting in a poker game
D
Driving stakes into the ground for a tent
11.
In Gold Rush terminology, what was a 'mother lode'?
A
A heavy load to carry
B
A mother who found gold
C
A type of dynamite
D
The principal vein or zone of gold-bearing rock
12.
What was a 'nugget' in Gold Rush vocabulary?
A
A small chicken piece
B
A type of biscuit
C
A small stone
D
A lump of native gold found in the earth
13.
During the Gold Rush, what was a 'claim jumper'?
A
Someone who illegally seized another miner's claim
B
A type of grasshopper
C
A mining inspector
D
A high jumper
14.
What did 'strike it rich' originally mean in Gold Rush language?
A
To win a fight
B
To hit something hard
C
To discover a valuable deposit of gold
D
To become famous
15.
In Gold Rush slang, what was a 'tenderfoot'?
A
A gentle horse
B
Someone with blisters
C
A type of boot
D
A newcomer unfamiliar with the rough conditions of mining life

Answer Key

Question 1

B. A prospector who came to California in 1849

Question 2

C. Soil or gravel containing enough gold to be profitable

Question 3

C. A mine where gold was extracted from surface deposits by washing

Question 4

B. A claim to a piece of land for mining

Question 5

D. Using a shallow pan to wash gold from gravel in a stream

Question 6

C. Supplies or money given to a miner in exchange for a share of findings

Question 7

D. Traces of gold found in a pan or sample

Question 8

C. A long narrow trough used to separate gold from gravel using water

Question 9

C. A large and rich mineral deposit or source of wealth

Question 10

B. Officially marking and registering a plot of land for mining

Question 11

D. The principal vein or zone of gold-bearing rock

Question 12

D. A lump of native gold found in the earth

Question 13

A. Someone who illegally seized another miner's claim

Question 14

C. To discover a valuable deposit of gold

Question 15

D. A newcomer unfamiliar with the rough conditions of mining life

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