In Language Arts you will be studying some of the literature of two Gold Rush writers, Jack London and Robert Service. In order to understand why they wrote what they did, you first must learn a little about the gold rushes that took place in the Yukon and in Alaska. You first task, therefore, is to do a little research. Below, you will find the links to five “Gold Rush” sites. These will provide you with all the resources you need to answer the questions below.

This research is part of your evaluation. You must answer each question fully, using complete sentences. You may NOT “cut and paste” your answers. Create a Word file in which to keep all your information. Use Arial, 14pt. The file should be called Klondike Gold Rush. Make sure your name is at the top of the file. You may work with another person, but each person must create his or her own file and do his or her own writing. Writing that is “shared” will “share” the mark!

http://www.writeyukon.com/klondike/gr_history.asp

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=J1ARTJ0004349

http://www.kokogiak.com/klon/default.asp?ref=http://www.richmond.edu/%7Epstohrhu/learn/gold.html

http://www.library.state.ak.us/goldrush/

http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/gold/gold2.html

The Klondike Gold Rush

The following questions should be answered in essay style. That is, you are writing more than a simple answer and you are weaving facts into your text.

1. When and where did the Klondike Gold Rush begin? In your answer, name the four main “players” and describe their roles.
2. What was the effect when the world learned about the Klondike’s gold?
3. How did people get to the gold field? Describe the two possible routes – the “rich man’s” route and the ”poor man’s” route. Describe the two points of assess – via the Chilkoot Pass and the White.
4. What were some of the difficulties that people faced trying to get to the gold fields?
5. Were there any women who went in search of gold? What were these women like?
6. Do you think that one pass was easier than the other? Why?
7. Describe the main gold mining techniques.
8. How did Dawson City get its name?
9. How long did the Klondike Gold Rush last? What brought it to an end? Describe what happened. Be sure to make the link to the Alaskan Gold Rush.
10. When all was said and done, how many people set off for the gold fields and how many made it rich?

Robert Service

1. When and where was Robert Service born?
2. How did he end up in the gold fields?
3. How long did he spend in the Yukon, and what did he do when he left?
4. When and where did he die?
5. Name his most famous writings.

Jack London

1. When and where was Jack London born?
2. How did he end up in the gold fields?
3. In what ways were his experiences different from Robert Service’s?
4. When did London leave the north, where did he go and what did he do?
5. When and where did he die?
6. Name his most famous writings.