Colorado or Bust!

Day 1: Throughout the activity you will answer the following questions:

1. Where specifically in Colorado did the gold rush of 1859 take place?

2. What was the terrain in the mountains like for the prospectors? What forms of transportation were available for the pioneers to travel to Colorado? Why were those transportation modes chosen?

3. In what ways did the pioneers adapt to the harsh environment, particularly in the winter?

4. What is the name for the region of the United States where gold was found in Colorado? Why is Colorado uniquely suited for gold to exist?

Day 2: Throughout today's activity you will answer the following questions:

1. What is "gold fever" and why was it important for the settlement of Colorado?

2. What would convince a person to make the difficult journey across country to come to Colorado?

3. What advice could an early pioneer to Colorado give to someone just beginning the journey to make his or her trip easier?

Day 3: Throughout today's activity you will answer the following questions:

1. Why are historical events and people important to future generations?

2. What would people of today like to know about people of yesterday?

3. What conveniences of today would have been beneficial for the prospectors back in 1859?

Day 4: Throughout today's activity you will answer the following questions:

1. What is a definition of economics?

2. Why is gold so valuable?

3. John Hamilton Gregory eventually sold his two gold claims for $21,000. How much do you think they would be worth today based on the current price of gold?

Day 5: Throughout today's activity you will answer the following questions:

1. What is supply and demand?

2. What is scarcity?

3. Besides economics, where else could the concept of scarcity apply?

4. What does the effect of wealth have on scarcity and supply and demand?