In 1897, an article by journalist Annie Hall Strong was published offering "Hints to Women" interested in prospecting for gold.

…when our fathers, husbands and brothers decided to go, so did we, and our wills are strong and courage unfailing. We will not be drawbacks nor hindrances, and they won't have to return on our account.

—Annie Hall Strong, in her article "Hints to Women," 1897

The Gold Rush was one of the most formative events in U.S. history. After gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, people began flooding across the country hoping to make their fortunes, thus populating the western United States much faster than otherwise would have happened. This “gold fever” did not only afflict men, however, as one out of every ten “gold-rushers” was a woman. Of course, as with their male counterparts, most did not get rich by finding gold, but rather by creating businesses that catered to the many immigrants pouring in from the east.

One of the many places where gold was discovered was the Klondike in Alaska. On December 31st of 1897, the Skaguay News published an article with advice specifically tailored for women who had contracted what author Annie Hall Strong termed “acute Klondicitis.” Hall wrote, “women have made up their minds to go to the Klondike, so there is no use trying to discourage them." Many women did go—over 1,000 of them traveled to the Klondike between 1896 and 1900—and they played an important role in the building the West.

Xpeditions
In the multi-age activity, The Quest for Gold (K–12), students consider the various factors that have motivated people in the quest for gold throughout history. They are asked to consider what it is about gold that motivates people, and what effects these things have had on the Earth. Students use an interactive map and make trade decisions as they travel the Silk Road.

In Gold: From the Mine to You (9–12), students learn about the processes used when natural resources are extracted from the earth and the ways these resources are used. This activity asks students to focus on gold and the process that takes it from miners to jewelers. By learning about this process, students are encouraged to think about the individuals behind the production process and the environmental and human impacts associated with producing their belongings.

EDSITEment
In Metaphorical Gold: Mining the Gold Rush for Stories (6–8), students research the Gold Rush era to provide authentic background for their own fictional prose. By "mining" online databases for primary texts and period photographs, students explore the Klondike Stampede and look for period details to help them create their own narratives based on the Gold Rush. While the emphasis of this lesson is on history and research rather than literature, selections from Jack London's "The Call of the Wild" are used to provide focus and structure for students' research in online databases of primary sources, and to serve as models of vivid narrative prose for students' own stories.

ReadWriteThink
In Searching for Gold: A Collaborative Inquiry Project (3–5), students study the Gold Rush using a collaborative inquiry strategy. Each of several small groups researches one aspect of the topic and creates a project to aid in an oral presentation in which they teach that topic to the rest of the class.