The California Gold Rush

Thesis The gold rush made California a commercial assemble and draws a lot of attention around the globe by forming multicultural communities that still exist today. The huge amount of travelers from the world largely regenerate the economy of the Pacific Northwest and brought wealth to North America. However, in other perspectives, it was also a terrible loss to human life. The harsh conditions in Alaska have led to hundreds of prospectors being killed and the severe diseases they carried decimated the native people.

The California gold rush began with the discovery of nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in 1848. The California gold rush could possibly be one of the greatest events that shaped American history during the 19th century. As the word spread that there had been gold found, thousands of gold miners made the journey to San Francisco. At the end of 1849, the population of the California territory was about 100,000 and before the gold rush in 1848 the population was less than 1,000. The gold rush peaked in 1852 and by the end of it there was a total of $2 billion in precious metal that was extracted which is approximately 750,000 pounds of gold.

"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”.

California, the place to turn cant’s into can’s and dreams into plans. The same situation and scenarios apply to today and even over one hundred and sixty five years ago. Then and now are not so different, people are thriving or failing from the land of plenty, supplying themselves with knowledge, wealth, or skill to either spread their wings and take flight or crash and burn. Each state in the United States of America has a correlating nickname to either why it’s famous or an explanation of its history. California’s state name is The Golden State, and going all the way back to 1849 is why this was such an influential time for California and all of America. This is the period of the Gold Rush. Reasons why this event was so impeccable, to the development of California, are the years leading up to the discovery, the first findings, the journey, and so much more.

California would not be the same as we see it today if it was not for the California Gold Rush of 1849. Around one hundred fifty thousand migrated to this territory over the course of three years, being one of the world’s largest migrations in history. The wealth gained by the “Forty-Niner’s” in this era provided the opportunity for the creation of the economic powerhouse we see California as today. The California Gold Rush is a very complex topic to understand. There is a common misconception of it simply being a time of profit or loss by miners digging for gold. When instead, the Gold Rush was a time when “Gold Fever” was a common sickness of people around the world, people of all ages and color striving to meet their dreams of success and fortune. This migration of miners is best understood when California’s history before the Gold Rush, the chaos over land ownership and lack of authority, and its short term and long term impacts are extensively analyzed (4).

The California gold rush started on January 24th, 1848 when a carpenter by name of James Wilson Marshall who found gold flakes in the American river at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. According to History.com “Marshall was working to build a water-powered sawmill owned by John Sutter”. Due to the discovery of gold in California many people flocked to have their chance at wealth.

During the late 1840’s and early 1850’s, people from around the world, of different ethnicities, flocked to California in hopes of participating in the Californian Gold Rush. California, since the migration of the European settlers has always been a location for various cultures and ethnicities. On January 19th, 1849, James Marshall, a carpenter who lived on the American River in Coloma, California, tried to widen the tailrace of his mill, to run more water through the mill. The next morning Marshall shut off the water running through the mill to see what progress he had made. Wading through the water, Marshall noticed pieces of gold shining beneath the sand. This was the first recorded discovery of Gold in California. Although White men were the first peoples to discover the large deposits of gold in the dirt, they were far from the first people living in California.

The California Gold Rush of 1849 was a very influential event in U.S history. It all started in 1848, in Coloma, California, when a man named James Marshall (See Appendix A) was working on a sawmill for a man named John Sutter (See Appendix B). He was working near a river and something caught his eye. When he went to investigate, he realized that he had discovered pure gold! Marshall wanted to keep this a secret between him and his boss, but word spread quickly, and eventually the whole world knew about this discovery thanks to the New York Herald, which was the first newspaper to publish an article about the Gold Rush. Soon enough, many people started to immigrate to California to see if they could start a new life, and maybe, get rich. While the Gold Rush had many positive impacts to the State of California, which included economic benefits, they were not necessarily as a result of the mining of gold, but opportunities created by the influx of people looking to get rich. The economic opportunities experienced in the State of California as a result of the gold rush included manufacturing, trade, merchant business, agriculture, entertainment market, and newly formed banks and financial institutions (“The Impact of Gold” 2014). Also, people from different countries like China came by ship to see if they could strike it rich. People living on the Eastern side of the U.S only had two routes that they could follow to California, and both took many months and portrayed terrible

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,

In 1849 gold was found in the American Southwest, and the great California gold rush began. Soon gold some nuggets but mostly dust was being shipped to San Francisco Los Angeles and eventually the world beyond. As shipments of gold dust by stagecoach increased attempts to waylay them by gangs of desperate vicious highwaymen increased as well. Charley Parkhurst a stagecoach driver in California widely known for his driving skill was hired to deliver shipments of gold dust. On one trip Charley was stopped by a gang of tough violent outlaws. Charley despite his misgivings gave up the express box on demand but added "I wasn't expecting this but the next time you stop me I’ll be ready for you." Charley was too. Soon afterward Charley was stopped by another gang of outlaws.

The West is another word for the Western world which is involved with different nations determined by the conditions. Most of the west is included with the European origins. The West had so much potential to those traveling that to those individuals it seemed like a new world. The West was a place where many could live great lives. These individuals wanted to move west to secure land and to be prosperous. People would read newspaper stories about the new land and wanted to move their immediately for a better life. African American slaves for examples heard about the west and traveled, risking their lives to get the freedom they deserved. These slaves could start a new life as give something better than they would a slave. Slaves could become

I was well on my way out of Oklahoma. I had to leave my property to get away from the dust, and hopefully make it to California to start a better life. I was one of the 2.5 million people that went to California during the exodus. As I drove along a dirt road I had realized that my gas tank was empty. I had only a couple cents left which wouldn't be enough to fill my gas tank back up.

The gold rush of 1848 was a journey of dreams. Thousands left their families behind to seek a better, more financially secure life. A time so long ago that what we learn about it today is mostly from history books. But then one day you are lucky enough to come across something as simple as a letter. This letter is a small bit of history that opens up a window into the life and journey of a gold seeker.

When the California Gold Rush started in 1848, a wave of Chinese men immigrated to the United States to take up mining on their own or to seek employment with the mining companies. Then another wave of Chinese immigrants seeking employment occurred again during the building of the Intercontinental railroad between the years of 1863-1869. These Chinese immigrants worked at lower wages than other workers often in dangerous working conditions. However, their contributions played an important role in the building of the railroad.

In 1848 the encounter of gold in the Sacramento Valley sparked the Gold Rush. As word extended of the finding, tons of potential gold miners moved to San Francisco and the surrounding area. By the end of 1849 California territory was very populated. Around $2 billion worth of metal was removed from the region throughout the Gold Rush, which peaked in 1852.