Fort Ross State Historic Park 

On - site questions

 On getting to Fort Ross:

·         How many rivers and creeks did you cross?

 

·         What are the names of the rivers and creeks?

 

·         Were any named after the Russians?

 

·         What does the countryside around the Ross Settlement look like? How does it differ from your area.

Visitor Center Hunt:

·         What was the name of the Kashaya village that was located here? What does the name mean?

 

·         What kind of homes did the Indians live in? How many families lived in a home.

 

·         Name five foods the Kashaya or Coast Miwok would eat.

 

·         Who was the first manager at Ross? The last? Can you list all five managers?

 

·         List three reasons the RAC came to California?

 

·         What year did they establish Fort Ross? What year did they leave?

 

·         List one Spanish leader when the fort was being built.

 

·         Did the Russians have legal title to the land?

 

·         List three reasons why you think they choose this location?

 

·         What kind of fruits and vegetables did they grow here? List five.

 

·         What kind of livestock did they have at Ross? Name three.

 

·         List three other things the Russians would produce here at Fort Ross.

 

·         What was the major fur trade item here and with who was the company trading this fur? And what goods did the Company receive in exchange for this fur?

 

·         What is the hair density of the otter fur pelt? If you are not sure just take a guess.

 

·         What is a baidarka? Sketch one.

 

·         Who purchased Fort Ross and why? How much was paid to the RAC?

 

·         List three reasons why the Russian American Company left the Ross Settlement.

 

 

·         What was happening in other parts of California at this time?  In other parts of the United States?

   

·         Do you think the Russians would have stayed here at Ross if they knew the Gold Rush was coming?

Fort Compound and surrounding areas:

·         Why was the fort compound built? Was there ever a battle at Fort Ross?

 

·         Estimate the size of the fort compound.

 

·         What wood is the fort constructed with?

 

·         How are the walls put together? How tall are the walls? Just estimate. Are the walls put together with nails?

 

·         How many buildings are inside the fort compound today? Were there more? How many do you think?

·         What is the largest structure in the compound?

·         Do you see the chapel?  What religion was practiced here in this chapel? Where there other religions? What are the sand boxes in the chapel used for?

·         How many seats does the chapel have? Why? 

·         How deep is the original well?

·         Did most people live inside the fort compound? Or outside?

·         Where did the Alaskans live? The Kashaya? The Russian laborers? The families?

·         Do the two blockhouses have the same number of sides? Explain? How many cannon are in each blockhouse today?

·         Where would the officers eat?

·         How many bedrooms in the officer’s quarter’s?

·         In the dining room is the table one piece of wood? What kind of wood is the table?

·          What fur is hanging on the wall in the room with two beds?

·         Describe the two workshops. Explain the use of one of the tools you see. Identify five tools from the two rooms.

·         Have you noticed the fireplace in the Officer’ s Quarters? Did they cook here?

·         How many rooms are in the Rotchev house? Who lived here? Did any kids live in this house?

·         Who would have used the loom, men or women? Or both?

·         How many rooms in the Kuskov house?

·         In the trade store describe three items you see that you would use today.

·         Why would the RAC have so many cannon? List three reasons for firing the cannon.

·         Make a sketch of your favorite building.

·         How many buildings were outside the fort compound? 

·          Lean against the wall outside the compound. Is it warm or cold?

·         Looking at the ocean do you see or hear any sea otter? Any harbor seals, sea lions, or walruses?

·         Do you think Fort Ross would be a good place to live? What do you like about this place?

 

 In the Classroom - For extra credit.

·         What and Who is The Russian American Company

 

·         What does a charter mean?

 

·         What was the purpose of the Company in Alaska?

 

·         Why did the Russians come to Alta California?  In what year?

 

·         What role did shipping and trade play in the business of the Ross Colony?

 

·         Who were the Native Alaskans and what were their roles?

 

·         Who were the Native Californians and what were their roles?

 

·         What do you think life was like for the Native Californians within the Russian American Company?

 

·         How were they paid for their services to the company?

 

·         List four trade items between neighboring tribes and list four items that were traded between the natives and the company?

 

·         Did the Company have a treaty with the native people here?

 

·         Were there marriages between the native Californians, the Alaskans, and the Russians?

 

·         What were the children of these marriages called?

 

·         What was the relationship between the Russians and the Spanish Californians and the missions?

 

·         When Alta California became Mexican territory in 1822, what was the relationship like with the RAC.

 

·         What other ranches and ports did the Russians have at the Ross Settlement?

 

·         How many Russian women do you think lived here at Ross?

 

·         How were the basic needs supplied at Ross? i.e. water, lighting, clothing, food, etc?

 

·         What would a normal workday at Ross be like for a laborer, for an officer, for a child?

 

·         What land animals wee hunted here at the Ross Colony?

 

·         How did the people of Ross travel around California?

 

·         Was Fort Ross a military establishment or more of a hunting and trade post?

 

·         Why do you suppose the Russians built such big walls and had so many cannons?

·         If this is not a military post than why is it called Fort Ross?

 

·         Who bought Fort Ross from the RAC?

·         Who runs the park today?  How large is the park today?