Question

no roads marked the way to the traveler in california then: but, guided by the sun and well - known mountain peaks, we proceeded on our journey... some forty or fifty men were at work with the cradle machines, and were averaging about eight ounces of gold per day to the man. but a few moments passed before i was knee deep in water, with my wash - basin full of dirt, plunging it about endeavoring to separate the dirt from the gold. after washing some fifty pans of dirt, i found i had realized about four bits worth of gold. reader, do you know how one feels when the gold fever heat has suddenly fallen to about zero? i do.... the indians who were working for capts. sutter and weber gave them leading information, so that they were enabled to know the direction in which new discoveries were to be made.... the morals of the miners of 48 should here be noticed. no person worked on sunday at digging for gold.... we had ministers of the gospel amongst us, but they never preached. religion had been forgotten, even by its ministers, and instead of their pointing out the narrow way which leads to eternal happiness... they might have been seen, with pick - axe and pan, traveling untrodden untraveled ways in search of... treasure... or drinking good health and prosperity with friends. james h. carson, describing life in the early california gold fields, 1848 which of the following developments most directly led to the activities described in the excerpt? a a prohibition on the northern extent of slavery in territories west of the mississippi river b the acquisition of significant territory following the mexican - american war c the vetoing of the rechartering of the second bank of the united states d the completion of the first transcontinental railroad to the pacific ocean

Explanation:

The excerpt describes activities related to the California gold fields in 1848. The Mexican - American War (1846 - 1848) ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, through which the United States acquired a large amount of territory, including California. This territorial acquisition led to the discovery of gold and the subsequent gold - rush activities described in the text.

• Option A: The Missouri Compromise (1820) which prohibited slavery in certain western territories has no direct connection to the California gold - rush activities.
• Option C: The vetoing of the rechartering of the Second Bank of the United States (1832) was an economic policy decision at the national level and not related to the gold - rush in California.
• Option D: The first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, long after the events described in the 1848 account.

Answer:

B. The acquisition of significant territory following the Mexican - American War