California Gold Rush Research Paper

“My eye was caught with the glimpse of something shining at the bottom of the ditch” - James Marshall. The California Gold Rush officially went into full motion on January 24th of 1848. Although many events contributed to or caused the California Gold Rush, the most important events were the Westward Expansion, the discovery of gold, and immigration for work. The Westward Expansion contributed to the development of the California Gold Rush by having the Oregon Trail is one of the trails opened. By the Oregon Trail, most people were roaming along other paths such as the California Trail and others that came to be during the 1840’s. The Westward Expansion was also a way for families to move along in order to start a new phase in their lives. Another pivotal event was the discovery of gold. It led to several immigrants not only local but several from Peru, Australia, China, etc. This also created job opportunities. In addition, immigration contributed to the Gold Rush by as said before several immigrants from around the world coming. Mining also became a large job. Not only for the hunt for gold but for other natural resources such as silver, copper, and oil. These three events contributed to the mass migrations and large

The term “Gold Rush” means whenever a large amount of gold is found in a certain place a lot of people come to get it.

Gold was found in the capital of California today Sacramento also called the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 to around 1857. The Mexican province governor gave John Sutter 50,000 acres of land to make a place his was going to call New Switzerland this land stretched from the Sacramento and the American Rivers (“Gold Rush”). John Sutter the owner of the new asked a man by the name of James Marshall to help him build a sawmill that would be located 50 miles east on Sutter's land. (Blashfield 1). So Marshall and his men went to work when Sutter came by to check the progress he found something sparkling in the water of one of the rivers near the sawmill and extracted a lump of gold from a nearby gorge and shouted Gold! Gold! We have found it! But Marshall didn’t really believe him until he threw down a handful of golden flakes on the table. This is how the gold rush started and had them thinking how to keep it a secret.

The hardships of joining the California gold rush was done by many in attempt of richness. The California gold rush was a popular time in America’s history when gold was found in California. Creating chaos the population of California increased greatly as others came to search for gold. While, the gold rush increased California’s population and economy it was also the beginning of Manifest Destiny. Though, the gold rush helped California it had an overall negative effect on America through overcrowded population and outbreaks of cholera.

The Gold Rush was one of the most influential times in California History. During the four years from 1848-1852, 400,000 new people flooded into the state. People from many countries and social classes moved to California, and many of them settled in San Francisco. All this diversity in one place created a very interesting dynamic. California during the Gold Rush, was a place of colliding ideals. The 49ers came from a very structured kind of life to a place where one was free to make up her own rules.

     The California Gold Rush of 1849 is one of the most interesting and exiting events of the United States. From the wild stories of men striking it big, to the heart wrenching tales of people losing everything, these are what make it so alluring. There are many aspects of the California Gold Rush; effects on California; individual stories of struggle; and effects on the United States as a young country looking for stability.

It was either jackpot or broke. The gold seekers were soon to find out. The California gold rush was the third recorded gold rush in the United States. The journey was not easy for anyone. People going to California faced many challenges, some were how tough the journey to California was, how high the crime rate was, and how some made lots of money during the gold rush and others did not.

Throughout American history there has been many instances of European settlers invading the land of the native peoples. This holds true for the state of Colorado. It appears as if the Gold Rush acts as a catalyst for this hostile relationship. Although there are many positives Colorado experienced from the gold rush, the native people experienced the downside of this historical event.

When gold was discovered in 1848, people entered California to prospect the "golden mountains." At the climax of the gold rush the attitude in the mining country was of anticipation and greed. The effect of the gold rush, however, went much deeper than soil of the Sierra Mountains. Many miners did become rich from the mining of gold.

The California Gold Rush took place in 1848. The discovery of gold on Sacramento started the Gold Rush. Thousands of gold miners came from all over. In the late 1840's California was populated with about 100,000 people. As people heard about the gold rush they started to go look for gold. The California gold rush was very famous in the 1840's.

Fast forward 10 years to the start of the Colorado Gold Rush in 1859. In Colorado there were many rumors that gold was being found in the Rocky

One of the better known and first documentations found pertaining to the gold rush would be the account of James Marshall, in which he had been looking for the right piece of land to build his sawmill. Once he found the right area to build the sawmill, he set up camp. After a day or so went by, he had noticed shiny pieces of some unknown substance in the river near his encampment. As it turned out, these pieces were gold,"Boys, by God I believe I have found a gold mine.” (Holliday, 58). This story circled the globe far and wide, causing many to flock from all corners of the world in order to experience what James Marshall had gotten by pure accident.

The first topic I will be teaching you about is the California Gold Rush. California was a crazy, not that populated place. Gold was first found by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill. James Marshall told John Sutter and they didn’t want anyone to know, but word spread to fast and everyone was coming from 100 miles away to 10 feet away. Everyone at San Francisco went find gold except women, children and 5 men. Women took all of the men's jobs because there were no men. Everyone wanted to get more gold in a shorter amount time, but the fastest route was through a jungle where many died from animal attacks, yellow fever and malaria. A miners diet was beans, biscuits and preserved meat and since the lack of fruits and veggies many died from scurvy. Miners used lots of their money gambling and buying drinks from a saloon. Miners, at first, they used methods like panning for gold in the river, mining with

The historical outline of the formation of California is commonly portrayed as a series of romantic accomplishments shadowing the cruel reality of its unearthing. Many people are unaware of the harsh truth that, specifically, Native Indians of the land faced as a result of migration and colonization by Spaniards and settlers. Such migration and colonization lead to the piñata effect, a concept developed by Dr. Daniel Cady, professor at CSU Fresno, meaning that “as people grow, resources shrink” which leads to arguments and conflict, commenced and became the basis of the formation of what California is today. California, a once fecund chunk of land where Indians resided, became an arena for a cultural,

The discovery of the California Gold Rush took place by chance. Mainly the amount of the world’s gold is deep underground and embedded in hard rock. Unlike anywhere else in the world at that time the gold in California was simple to dig up, free for the taking and required little tools to acquire any gold. Only things required: a pick or shovel and a pan to shift out the gold from the rock, sand and debris. The Gold Rush affected not only California, but the outcome of the nation. Creating the expansion of our nation into Western America and California. Hundreds of thousand Americans and foreigners moved toward the Sierra Nevada’s, with the hopes of sticking it rich. Which impacted the social life and the economy, while effected the rest of the country. Producing a number of diverse people seeking to make a fortune, influenced California and the American life.