islcollective worksheets preintermediate a2 adults high school reading reading c san francisco history 191726453055caaa4eca0be9 46737352

SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY On January 24, 1848, the first gold was found in California Within months, San Francisco became the center of the wild Gold Rush Over the next year, the population grew from 1,000 to 25,000 The city was lawless and wild, full of prostitution and gambling Six major fires broke out between 1849 and 1851 Construction of the Central Pacific Railroad drew thousands of laborers from China Although many were later forced to leave, San Francisco’s busy Chinatown quickly became the largest Chinese settlement outside of Asia The city expanded as cable cars enabled the city to spread over its steepest hills In 1887 planners carved out 1,000 acres on the Pacific side of the peninsula for Golden Gate Park