549 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 20 cm
text txt rdacontent
unmediated n rdamedia
volume nc rdacarrier
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 509-527) and index.
Contents
Prologue: The Baron and the carpenter (Coloma: January 1848) -- PART ONE: The gathering of the peoples (From the world to California 1848-1849) -- In the footsteps of Father Serra -- Across the Pacific -- The Peaks of Darien -- To the bottom of the world and back -- To see the elephant -- Where rivers die -- PART TWO: From Vulcan's Forge (The goldfields: 1848-1850s) -- With a washbowl on my knee -- A Millenium in a day -- PART THREE: American Athena (California: 1849-1856) -- The Miracle of St. Francis -- Sutter's last stand -- Shaking the temple -- Children of the mother lode -- Reflections in an all-seeing eye -- PART FOUR: The Gordian knot and the Pacific connection (California and the Union: 1856-1869) -- The Pathfinder's return -- South by west -- From sea to shining sea -- PART FIVE: The New El Dorado (America in the age of gold) -- Prometheus unbound -- American dreamers -- Sources, Bibliography, Index, Acknowledgements.
Note
Originally published by Doubleday, 2002.
Summary
Chronicles the experiences of the men and women who traveled West to take part in the California Gold Rush and discusses how their experiences helped shape the history of the United States.
