*Through Women’s Eyes, Ch. 5 (including Primary Sources: Female
Labor in the Gold-Rush Economy)
Exercise
Instructions: Reading Response Paper
Write a response to the questions below. Construct the
reading response as if you were writing a short essay (with an introduction,
body paragraphs, and conclusion). Include your name at the top of the page.
Double space, and use 12 point font, Times New Roman, and 1 inch margins. Be
sure to include context and evidence. Cite all information that is not your own
(or common knowledge). You do not need
to use Chicago format for the reading
response, but citations that include page numbers and identification of the
author are required. These citations should directly follow your direct
quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Failure to provide this documentation will
result in a zero as an exercise grade.
***Outside sources (internet and books not assigned for the class)
are NOT allowed. Also see the grading rubric on Blackboard for additional
guidelines.
Questions
What opportunities and vulnerabilities to exploitation did
women encounter during the California gold rush? How were some women’s
opportunities related to other women’s vulnerabilities? In your answer, draw
from and cite at least three of the primary documents in the section “Primary
Sources: Female Labor in the Gold-Rush Economy” of Through Women’s Eyes.
In addition to drawing from the primary sources, you may also draw from the
textbook information and the introduction to the documents by DuBois and
Dumenil. Also, remember to incorporate historical documents/note the dates of
the primary documents into your discussion.