preview

Gold Rush: Ambitious Americans And Immigrants

Decent Essays

America has become comprised of many people from diverse backgrounds since its founding. People immigrated to America for many different reasons, one of them being the Gold Rush, which inspired many people to search of the same hope that drove our settlers to become free and successful. As this is the same drive in today’s society, the American spirit was re-charged during the Gold Rush, for it implemented hope in people around the world like never before, which brought insurgence of diverse people to America for a common aspiration. Diversity is defined as people coming together from different races, nationalities, religions, and sexes. Diversity has affected America today in a positive manner because it has given people the chance to gain …show more content…

Ambitious Americans and immigrants from all over the world traveled to California during the Gold Rush, which began in 1849. As stated by Thomas J. Osborne in Pacific El Dorado, “California environment in 1850 consisted of tens of thousands of prospectors who arrived from Eastern North America, Mexico, South America, Western Europe, and East Asia” (98). People migrated to California with hopes of prosperity and opportunities. The Gold Rush opened the doors and influenced different types of people from all over the world to travel to California and interact with each other in order to gain gold. That was the starting point for many people to strive for their definition of happiness and riches. The same effect influenced the people from the 18th century as stated by Laurence Shames in “The More Factor,” “This has been the American trinity from the very start. The frontier was the backdrop and also the raw material for the streak of economic booms. The booms became the goad and also the justification for the myriad gambles and for Americans’ famous optimism. The optimism, in turn shaped the schemes and vision that were sometimes noble, sometimes appalling, always bold” (27). Naturally America is known as the great salad bowl, as a metaphor, that means that people from all backgrounds came together to gain riches and obtain a prosperous life. Lawrence Shames’ quote is similar to the mentality of the Gold Rush era because they both describe of the hope of starting all over and having opportunities for a better

Get Access