OFFICIAL TWINE GAME

Imagine, the year is 1849 in Northern California. You are a young African-American male. California has not yet been established as a state. In 1850, California joined the United States as a free state, however, at this time of 1949 you are working such as a slave would in one of the most vigorous gold field mines.[[Destiny]]...

[[Welcome To...]]

GET RICH, OR DIE TRYING! The Tale of an African-American Seeking Riches in the California Gold Rush Era By, Elijah Leonard [[Overview]]

Your Destiny is simple... GET RICH, OR DIE TRYING! You must free yourself from unfair/unequal labor conditions and and make it to the rumored [["Negro Bar"]], one of the earliest African-American mining claims in the Sacramento County. There you hope you will be able to start a new life of freedom and prosperity...[[continue]]

Negro Bar was one of the earliest recorded locations minded by African-American gold miners. It a large sand bar located on the south bank of the lower American River, in what is now the City of Folsom. The site received its name because of a small number of African-Americans who were reputed to be the first to mine the area in late 1849. A February 9, 1850 newspaper article in the Sacramento Placer Times describes the diggings at Negro Bar as being located "about four miles below Mormon Island, on the American River… [[continue |Destiny]]

If you are able to successfully reach Negro Bar, there will be great oppurtunities to achieve riches unimaginable... [[continue | Failure]]

However, the journey will not be easy. There will be obstacles and crucial decisions that will have to be made... [[continue | GRODT]]

If you're up for the task, prepare yourself. It's time to [[play]]...

[[GET RICH, OR DIE TRYING]]!

You've reached a breaking point.. Something has got to change... All day every day for the past few months you have been working as if you were still a slave. But you were no longer a slave now in California. You, several other African American, and even Native Indian miners mined continuously and unrelentingly in the California Gold Mines. All while your white counterparts and their equal acquaintances reap majority of the rewards from your hard labor.. [[continue |background]]

You were brought here to Northern California when you were only 21 years old. You came from a very small farm in [[Port Allen, Louisiana]]. As word spread eastward of immense oppurtunity to aqcuire riches in California, you and your owner journeyed West, as he had plans to strike rich in the California gold mines... [[continue |Journey]]

Port Allen is a town in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States. Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River... [[continue |background]]

And so you, your owner, along with several other small farmers with their accompaning African-American's set off on your journey to California.. There were multiple [[Routes]] that could be taken to get to California.. Which do you [[Choose]]...

The Cape Horn Route: This route could take anywhere from 6-8 months, or longer. This route involved traveling around the entire continent of South America by ship. This was by far the longest route from the East Coast to California. This route was the most expensive of the three. The Central Overland Route: This route took anywhere from 3-5 months. This route consisted of wagons pulled by oxen/horse. This trip involved overland travel through central North America, but allowed for hunting and fishing along the way. The Isthmus of Panama Route: This route could take anywhere between 1-3 months. Ships set sail for Panama, upon arriving canoes were used to travel along the Chagres River, followed by a mule ride to Panama City. From there another ship would be taken to California. Although this route was the quickest, disadvantges included vulneability to numerous diseases or wildlife in Panama. [[Choose]]

[[The Cape Horn Route]] [[The Overland Route]] [[The Isthmus of Panama Route]]

You have not yet made it to California, so technically you're still a slave.. You have no choice... [[continue | progress 2]]

Being that your small farm was in Louisiana, near a shipping port in the Gulf of Mexico, The Isthmus of Panama Route was chosen by your owner in order to get to California... [[continue | Ship]]

While journeying to Panama you came in contact with a few other African-American's were making a similar journey as you. They spoke of rumors of an African-American gold mine called Negro Bar that had already been established, and dreamed of somehow being able to make it there... You felt the possibility of an African-American gold mine was simply wishful thinking, and felt that California would be no different than the farm back home.. However, this idea would linger with you as your journey moved forward... [[continue |Panama]]

After a few weeks the ship you were on finally arrived at Panama.. You along with your fellow future mining partners who survived the voyage were gathered together and now placed on a small canoe to travel down the Chagres River. After this you all were required to use horseback and mule the rest of the way to the opposite western coast of Panama, and await the next ship to go to California... [[continue |conditions]]

The conditons were brutal at times.. With little food or water during the trip depending on your economic status, many men became were susceptible to illness and contracted terrible diseases.. But mentally you stayed strong. You were determined to make it California.. You had to make it to California... [[continue |escape]]

Upon waiting for the next ship to arrive you begin to mentally break down. What if this rumor of gold and African-American oppurtunity is all a big hoax.. Taking this jourbey to California could be just a big waste of time.. Was this the time to attempt a [[get-away]]..? Or stay and [[continue |California]] onto California..?

During the first night upon arriving at the western coast of Panama, you slipped into the darkness of night and attempted an escape.. Unknowing of where you were headed you were in the clear.. but suddenly... [[continue |Shot dead]]

A week passed and the ship to take you to Californa had finally arrived.. At this point you were just happy to be alive, and almost to your destination.. You made it to the California Gold Mines near [[Sutter's Mill]], and to your suprise it was more beautiful that anticipated.. [[continue |contact]]

Everything went black... [[continue |headshot]]

You tripped and were knocked unconscious.. As you were lying in the darkness a pack of wild dogs approached your still body and began feeding on your flesh.. What a terrible way to go.. [[try again |escape]]

Although you are currently a slave in Louisiana, traveling to California your owner began to adopt a more Westernized way of thinking, and viewed you as an equal counterpart.. White southerners had first brought slaves to California mines in 1849, but that practice was not popular. However, no laws banned slavery in the early days of the Gold Rush.. Your owner promised you that in California a more balanced work share in California, where blacks and whites work side by side. Equal oppurtunity.. Do you believe him? [[Yes | progress]] / [[No]]

You don'y have to believe him, but it is required to go to California.. Remember the goal.. GET RICH, OR DIE TRYING!!! The opputunities for a slave to become rich in the South at this time are about miniscual to none.. You will definitley have more opportunity in California.. [[continue | progress]]

The Gold Rush Era marked the real beginning of African American migration into California.. And it became evident immediately that the black and white miners worked side by side. Even Native Indians worked side by side with them as well.. However, in time to come a fugitive slave law made it illegal for slaves to flee their masters within California's supposedly free borders in 1852. All African Americans in California born free or formerly enslaved lived under a constant threat of arrest... [[continue |reaize]]

And so it was.. Almost too good to be true.. Although things were much better for most of the African American population in California, the racism fueled oppression seen throughout much of the South was still very much prevalent in California.. [[continue |Gooo]]

The work conditions and safety for most of the African-Americans just was not the same as much of their white counterparts.. And so you realized a push for Negro Bar would be required if you were ever going to have a shot at striking rich.. [[continue |negro Bar]]

Unfamiliar with the exact location of Negro Bar.. Did you take the [[Native Indian's]] advice for directions on how to get to Negro Bar.. Do you journey to Negro Bar [[solo]] without direction..?

Sutter's Mill was a sawmill, owned by 19th-century pioneer John Sutter, where gold was found, setting off the California Gold Rush, a major event of the history of the United States. It was located on the bank of the South Fork American River in Coloma, California and is nowadays part of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. [[continue |contact]]

Since the Native Indian population knew the lands most accurate, you sucessfully made it to Negro Bar.. You were able to build up a savings by being one of the first African-American participating in Black owned business ventures and economic investments due to the California Gold Rush Era! [[continue|success]]

You attempt to journey to Negro Bar by yourself without asking for any help with directions.. Big Mistake.. You get lost and run into migrant miners from Oregon.. these migrant miners were ruthless to Native Indians which they mistook you for.. You were shot dead on site in part of the frequently practiced denocide of Indians in California.. [[try again|negro Bar]]

CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU GOT RICH!!! THANK YOU FOR PLAYING!!