Bloom, May, and Klondyke Game Co. Going to Klondyke. [S.l., 1897]. Map. Accessed December 22, 2024 . https://www.loc.gov/item/99446193/
This map/game hybrid offers a unique entry point for exploring the Klondike Gold Rush in both historical and literary contexts. The interactive nature of the game can help students engage with the geography, risks, and rewards of the gold rush, making it a perfect complement to novels and short stories such as Jack London’s The Call of the Wild or “To Build a Fire.” By examining the game’s rules and imagery, students can discuss themes of chance, perseverance, and human interaction with nature, while also reflecting on how cultural artifacts like this game blend entertainment and education. The fanciful illustrations also allow for critical thinking about how the gold rush was marketed to the public.
Going to Klondyke is a map-based game that captures the whimsy and unpredictability of the Klondike Gold Rush. Players take turns pinning their way to gold fields while avoiding obstacles like government taxes, natural hazards, and the risk of total loss in Siberia. The map features detailed illustrations of the Yukon and Alaska regions, along with humorous drawings of prospectors, animals, and local culture. This primary source combines entertainment with a vivid depiction of the geography and societal fascination with the gold rush at the time it was published.
Published during the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, Going to Klondyke is a playful map printed in Sunday newspapers that served as a board game. The game reflects both the excitement and challenges of prospecting with players blindfolded and spun before attempting to pin their way to wealth by landing on one of the gold fields. Like the real-life gold rush, the game hinges on luck, with outcomes influenced by various obstacles such as paying taxes if landing in the British Northwest Territory or losing everything if ending up in Siberia. This whimsical, at the time, yet instructional game captures the cultural fascination with the Klondike and serves as a lens to explore the period’s economic, social, and geographical context.
- How does Going to Klondyke reflect the challenges and excitement of the Klondike Gold Rush?
- What parallels exist between this game’s portrayal of the gold rush and literary depictions in novels or short stories?
- How might games like this have shaped public perception of the gold rush and its opportunities?
- Do we have any similar games today?
Georgia State ELA Standards & Georgia State Social Studies Standards
SSUSH8b: Explore the relationship between slavery, growing north-south divisions, and westward expansion that led to the outbreak of the Civil War. (b) Examine James K. Polk’s presidency in the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny including the Texas annexation and Oregon.
- The interactive game Going to Klondyke connects to SSUSH8b by illustrating how Westward Expansion and the allure of the Klondike Gold Rush impacted Indigenous peoples in different annexations.
ELAGSE11-12RL2: Determine themes in literature and analyze their development, connecting them to historical contexts.
- It supports ELAGSE11-12RL2 by encouraging students to analyze themes of hardship, chance, and human interaction with nature in both the game and literature like Jack London’s The Call of the Wild or “To Build a Fire,” while grounding these themes in historical context.
ELAGSE11-12RI7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different formats.
- The game also aligns with ELAGSE11-12RI7, as it integrates geographic and cultural analysis, allowing students to evaluate multiple sources of information across formats to deepen their understanding of the gold rush’s historical realities.
Introduce students to the map as a game, allowing them to play as a class while reflecting on how luck and risk mirror the realities of the gold rush. Pair the activity with excerpts from Jack London’s The Call of the Wild or “To Build a Fire,” encouraging students to analyze how literature portrays the same themes of hardship and unpredictability. Discuss how the game uses humor and whimsy to make the gold rush’s challenges accessible and engaging. Students can create their own board games or narrative pieces inspired by the gold rush, using historical research to inform their designs.
The game’s whimsical approach may oversimplify the harsh realities of the gold rush. Teachers should guide discussions to ensure students critically evaluate the historical context and consider the experiences of those who endured these journeys.
- Hegg, E. A., Copyright Claimant. Packers ascending the summit of Chilkoot Pass during the gold rush of. Chilkoot Pass, ca. 1898. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012646448/.
- This photograph by E. A. Hegg captures packers ascending the treacherous Chilkoot Pass during the Klondike Gold Rush around 1898. It vividly illustrates the physical challenges faced by prospectors, showcasing the harsh environment and determination required to reach the gold fields.
- Harris, A. C. Alaska and the Klondike gold fields ... Practical instructions for fortune seekers. [Philadelphia, National Publishing Co., 1897] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/01015721/.
- This 1897 guide by A. C. Harris provides practical advice for prospectors heading to Alaska and the Klondike gold fields, offering insights into travel, equipment, and survival. It reflects the optimism and ambition of the gold rush era while highlighting the challenges and risks associated with seeking fortune in such remote and harsh conditions.
- Library of Congress. Gold Rush: Meeting of Frontiers. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.loc.gov/collections/meeting-of-frontiers/articles-and-essays/alaska/gold-rush/.
- National Park Service. Klondike Gold Rush. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm.
- PBS. Gold Rush Resources. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/goldrush/.