Blue Jeans, the Ultimate American Icon Essay examples

Movies starring young men as the main character such as The Wild One and Rebel Without a Cause inspired young men to follow punk style fashion trends. Wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a leather jacket became popular around this time, and it was causing a generation of young men to change their attitudes. This trend became “a symbol of teenage rebellion for boys everywhere.” However, not all boys were following this punk style of fashion. Many were leaning more towards the British styles and trends, including the ‘teddy boy’ style, which consisted of high waisted, narrow ‘drain pipe’ trousers, long jackets, slim ties and large, shiny, pointed shoes. (http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-189_t-506_c-1873/nsw/history/australia's-social-and-cultural-history-in-the-post-war-period/social-and-cultural-features-of-the-1950s/fashion-in-the-1950s)

If you look back through the past sixty years of fashion, you may notice a pattern.

In the introduction of Chapter 1 “Consuming Passions” “The Culture of American Consumption,” it talks about how American popular culture is grounded in consumption. With the media in our hand, it is a huge influence towards the advertising world. With how styles of clothing have been changing over time, this talks about how from the earlier times wearing a simple type of blue jeans can change between who wears them over the years. As stated, “ By the 1950s, however, blue jeans began to bear an additional class significance as “casual wear” for middle-class Americans.” (72). In 1970 these pants have then become a simple fashion wear. They have also been introduced as a hipster type wear. Then in 1980 through the early 2000s, baggy jeans were

His store was a hit, as miners poured in to buy tents and other necessities for mining. One item in particular, denim pants known today as “jeans” sold like wild fire amongst the 49ers, as they were durable and did not rip. By the end of the Gold Rush, nearly 594 $ million in gold ingots (estimated around 10 $ billion in 2001 dollars) would be shipped out from California towards the east coast alone9.

When gold was discovered in California in 1848, a shortage of labor for the new mining industry prompted mine operators to look to China for source of workers. Inexpensive transportation across the ocean, a willingness to tackle dangerous jobs for low wages, and a strong work ethic made the Chinese attractive as workers. 95% of the Chinese workers were men. Business owners paid transportation fees for the Chinese workers and later pay back the debt from their

“At the time of the discovery, the population of California totaled around 15,000, excluding native Indians. By the end of 1849, after the international gold rush had been under way for nearly six months, the total population had passed 90,000. By 1852, it had reached well over 220,000.” Between the time periods of 1848-1852, “as many as 25,000 Mexicans migrated to the mining regions of California.” During this same span, over 2,000 African Americans had made their way into California, and by 1855 “as many as 50,000 Chinese sought wealth in California.” In addition, Chilean and French comprised two more large groups of immigrants, with estimates of 20,000 French by 1851 and somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 Chilean by 1850. Moreover, it was not only the privileged, wealthy individuals who were the ones moving in search of gold; on the contrary, it was people from all avenues and walks of life. Individuals with nothing to lose and those with everything to lose boarded wagon trains, ships, and boats and headed for San Francisco. The California Gold Rush turned hardworking, sensible individuals into crazed, strike it rich enthusiasts. “People of all classes had departed for the diggings, including school teachers, mechanics, physicians, lawyers, tailors, clergymen, laborers, merchants, teamsters, cooks, gamblers, the first and second alcaldes, the sheriff,

The California Gold Rush was a time during 1848-1857 where James W. Marshall found gold, as a result, people around the world came to California for it.

The California gold rush drastically changed America in numerous ways. It facilitated economic growth and prosperity in the west. In addition, it “inspired perhaps the largest mass movement of people in world history. ‘Neither the Crusades nor Alexander’s expeditions to India (all things considered) can equal this emigration to California,’ wrote one

In January of 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, which is now in present-day California. From 1848-1849, 300,000 people rushed to California in search of gold. These gold-seekers, nicknamed “Forty-Niners”, came from all over the world. Most of the Forty-Niners came from the rest of America, but some even came from Europe, Australia, Latin America, and Asia. Because of the huge gold rush, roads, churches, schools, canals, cities, and towns were established in the California area. This new economic explosion influenced California to become a state in the Union.

On January 24, 1848 John W. Marshall discovered gold in California, which set its foundation for California’s future success. The Gold Rush gave California’s popular motto of, “Eureka” meaning “I’ve found it.” Also, the Gold Rush drew attention to California drawing cultures from around the world to seek better opportunities and make a greater extent of money than they would ever come across. This created California’s population to experience an influx during the 1840’s. Although it increased population in California, there were difficulties and problems with encounters between the Chinese immigrants, the rich, and miners that resulted in social conflict.

The California Gold Rush of 1849 was a major point in history that involved the colonization of the far west, the hunt for gold, and many issues to go along with it. During a period where nothing was really advancing or happening, many people began to look for a new job or a new way to make some form of money. In times like that, there are little to no jobs available. Some people managed to fine gold in the west, and a lot of it, specifically located in California. As people began telling others about it, the information eventually spread throughout the continent. Eventually, thousands of people were migrating out west in search of gold to get rich on.

"Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!” shouted Samuel Brannan, a newspaper publicist from San Francisco, following the discovery of gold in California (Rhodes 168). This event sparked a new era of immigration to California in 1848. The gold rush began on January 24, 1848 when gold was found by James Marshall, a foreman for John Sutter, at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California (Bancroft 32). Initially the news was kept a secret due to the risk of a massive wave of gold seekers interfering with Sutter’s land and agricultural plans. However, by March of 1848, Samuel Brannan’s flamboyant confirmation to the rumors created the California gold rush. Hordes of people from around the world traveled to California in search for gold and success. San Francisco’s population exponentially grew from a small settlement of about 200 residents in 1846 to a city of about 36,000 by 1852 (Johnson 12-14). As news spread, the event became known worldwide. The gold rush in California was a vital event that became the basis for the social and economic boom that subsequently fashioned global fame, an influx of settlers and, as a result, the 31st addition to the union as “The Golden State”.

The California Gold rush of the years 1848-1849 changed the America financial status and the American population. It all started when James Marshall found some shiny metal near the river and he took this to his boss John Sutter and after testing of this metal they found out that this was Gold, But Sutter advised Marshall not to tell anyone about this because this might ruin Sutter’s chance to build a successful agricultural empire in California. But there were rumors and whispers that there was gold in the hills, and this all came to an end when a merchant named Samuel Brannan took some of the gold from the river and showed it to the town of San Francisco, and this caused almost all the residents in San Francisco to move to the hills to find

The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a period in American history which began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California.[1] The news of gold brought—mostly by sailing ships and covered wagons—some 300,000 gold-seekers (called "forty-niners", as in "1849") to California.[2] While most of the newly arrived were Americans, the Gold Rush also attracted some tens of thousands from Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

The California Gold Rush sent many foreigners to California immediately as the news about the discovery of gold unreeled nationwide. By so many people trying to find gold at once, they unintentionally created what is known as the westward movement. The westward movement resulted in a drastic change in population. The variety of people that came overseas and crossed borders ranged from African Americans, Chinese, Mexicans, Australians, Indians, Europeans, and many others. The initial goal for these immigrants that moved westward was what is now known as “The American Dream.” These immigrants ranged all over the world and brought many of their cultures with them. Immigrants found every way to travel to California, whether it was by land or overseas. “For the period 1848-1850, lower-bound estimates of overland migration are more than 101,000” (Clay 999). This statistic shows that within two years of the gold rush, over one hundred thousand immigrants travelled west to California by foot. In addition, “For the period 1849-1850, arrivals by sea are conservatively estimated at 75,462” (Clay 1000). This statistic shows that within one year of the gold rush, over seventy-five thousand immigrants travelled west to California overseas. Overall, within the period of just one year,