California Gold Rush | The Forty Niners | 2

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 18 January 2023

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In early 1849, thousands of gold-hungry Americans began pouring into California from the eastern United States. But most of the so-called 49ers were wildly unprepared for the perilous journey west. Once they reached California, they found unexpected obstacles and fierce competition in the gold mines. For many, their dreamed-of riches rarely materialized. And even for those who did hit paydirt, their newfound wealth came with unforeseen challenges.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:07.0	Imagine it's April 1849.
0:20.6	You're a tailor from upstate New York, but after a five-week journey, you and your cousin
0:25.5	arrived in St. Louis just yesterday.
0:27.7	It's a stop on your way to the gold fields of California, and hopefully, to riches.
0:33.4	While your cousin is buying some supplies you'll need at a nearby store, you watch the
0:37.4	crowds bustling around you.
0:39.5	There are more people here than you've seen in your life.
0:42.2	All of them would be miners like you.
0:44.7	They're buying shovels, lanterns, food, everything they'll need when they stake their claims
0:49.2	in California.
0:50.2	There's more competition for gold than you realize.
0:53.6	Soon, your cousin emerges from the store, but he's empty handed.
0:57.7	Where are the supplies?
0:59.3	Well, bad news.
1:00.3	He's asking $40.
1:02.3	$40 for three barrels of pork?
1:04.8	That wouldn't be more than $20 back home.
1:07.6	I know.
1:08.6	That's what I told him.
1:09.6	I refused to pay such a ridiculous price.
	...

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