What would it be like to be a multi-millionaire in just a few years, but you have to find the Klondike in Alaska. Many people have taken on this challenge, either to make their fortune or to find themselves more broke than they already were. The Klondike Gold Rush played a major role in people's lives and an era in American history. My article consists of 3 main topics: first, what people had to go through to get there; secondly, the difficult conditions they had to endure upon their arrival there; and finally, the strike of the rich or, where appropriate, of those who have become rich. This massive rush of people began in the summer of 1897; George Carmack had returned from the Klondike with the gold he had discovered in the summer of 1896 (SV; SV) ("The Klondike Gold Rush"). There was another ship, named Excelsior, which docked in San Francisco; he also brought another miner and his Klondike riches (Stefoff). After the ships docked in Seattle and San Francisco, word spread. “Even in the days before Twitter, word spreads quickly.” (Martel). Thanks to the telegraph and numerous newspapers, the gold rush attracted many people seeking instant wealth (Stefoff). Once people heard these telegraphs or saw the newspapers, prospectors went to the Klondike (Glasner). The newspapers wrote an article about the ships coming into town saying "A Ton of Gold from the Fabulous Klondike." In fact, it was closer to two tons (Wharton). Although most of the Klondike rush was for gold, other people got drawn there for the adventure, the wilderness, or because they had nothing left where they were currently living (Stefoff). This made the trip interesting for some people. The easiest way to get to the Klondike was to take the boat to Dawson City all the way, but it was also the most expensive way... middle of paper ...... people who were going to the Klondike, the climates when they got there and hitting the rich, all of that contributed to the way these families live today. If it hadn't happened this way, their lives would be very different now. Works Cited Martel, Lynn. “History shines in the Yukon; The lure of the Klondike Gold Rush continues to stretch north. The Vancouver Sun, April 28, 2012. ProQuest. Internet. March 11, 2014. Wharton, David. "The Alaskan Gold Rush". Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1972. Print.Stefoff, Rebecca. “The North Country”. Oxford University Press, 2002. electronic library. Internet. February 28, 2014. “The Klondike Gold Rush.” Np, and Web. March 4, 2014. “Klondike Gold Rush, Yukon Territory 1897.” Klondike Gold Rush, Yukon Territory, 1897. Np, nd Web. March 5, 2014. Glasner, Joyce. "Yellow fever." Canadian History 91.3 (2011): 46-47. Premier Academic Research. Internet. March 6. 2014.