The Gold Rush: A Fictional Narrative

It is well known that industrialization in America started in the east. However, the gold rush was the reason why California industrialized much faster than the east. With the technological improvements, that the gold rush demands it helped California industrialize much faster. James Marshall first discovered gold on January 24 1848 on the south fork of the American river. A not so well know part of California history is that James Marshall was not the first person to discover gold in California. Francisco Lopez was the first documented gold rush in California. It is less know because right after Lopez had discovered gold the war between Mexico and US had begun. Moreover, like everyone knows Mexico lost and lost California and other territory to the US. After James Marshall had found gold and after everyone had started to hear the news, few people started rushing to the minefields. The gold rush fever had not started yet because many people were hesitant. It wasn’t until president, President Polk at that time, confirmed that there really was gold found in California after the announcement by Polk was heard. Massive amount of people from all over the world rushed to California. States were not the first to hear about the news. Actually, people in Hawaii were the first to find out. As trading ships were leaving the San Francisco port on their trips across the pacific. Was when the Hawaii found out about the news? When the states

In the late 1800’s, a lot of change was being brought upon the United States, especially on the west of America. New things were established and found in west states, such as Nevada and California. Many of these new establishments helped freed slaves find living as the gold mines were a huge ideal to foreigners traveling from the south and midwest. The Gold Rush was found in Sierra Nevada during 1848, when gold was found in a mine. This completely changed the popularity and population of California. Although, for many people who wanted to travel to mine for gold during the Gold Rush, it was a tough journey as there was no true railroad nor steamboats yet to be taken to the west. With the rise of exposure for the Chinese population in San Francisco,

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Before the Gold Rush of 1849, California was a sparsely populated, unimportant territory of the United States mostly inhabited by the people of Mexico. However, that all changed when on January 24, 1848; carpenter and small time sawmill operator James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget in the American River that would forever change the history of California and America1. Not only did the Gold Rush lead to California’s admittance into the Union in 1850, it also rekindled the idea of the American Dream. Hundred’s of thousands of people poured into the state by the lure of quick and infinite riches. As a result of the Gold Rush, California

One of the most beneficial events in American history is the California Gold Rush. The Gold Rush started in 1848 when it was discovered that California Rivers harbored gold inside them. This attracted many Americans across the United States, thus causing a massive migration to California. People from across the nation put their lives on hold in hopes of striking gold in California. For many, the journey took months and the risk of death was steadily present. Dangers were everywhere- from Native American attacks to getting lost on the trail. It was a risk, however, that many deemed worthy. The Gold Rush is a positive turning point in our nation’s growth for many reasons. It helped our nation achieve Manifest Destiny, it allowed the population to grow in California, and it also put California on the map. Although the California Gold Rush has many positives aspects, it holds negative traits as well.

The California Gold Rush was an event that lasted from January 24th, 1848 to 1855. The event was driven mainly by the large quantities of gold reserves that were discovered in the soon to be US state of California. This event caused many Americans to move from the eastern states and middle states to California with the hopes of finding gold. In this paper, I will analyze the economy at the time the gold rush started and attempt to answer the question of why individuals found it necessary or advantageous to move out to California in pursuit of gold. I will also consider personal accounts and editorials written to gain a more personal narrative of the conditions people were experiencing as well as their mindsets in deciding whether to move to California for the gold or not.

Forty-Niners - a term coined during the California Gold Rush which referred to immigrants who were traveling to the west in search of gold. These immigrants were considered “forty-niners” because they began to arrive in the year of 1849. In his book, Daily Life during the California Gold Rush, Thomas Maxwell-Long notes that, “California is nicknamed “The Golden State;” and the official state motto is “Eureka” meaning “I have found it” in Greek- a reference to mining success” (Maxwell-Long 1). The California Gold Rush is the most well-known and largest mass migration that occurred in the history of America during the middle of the 18th century. Although Forty-Niners had hopes of striking it rich and living out the American Dream, most of them saw little success. In addition, the Gold Rush created a booming California economy; however, it came at the price of environmentally destructive practices.

“I remember just how these men looked as we rode up the little hill where their camp was. The red light of the morning sun was streaming upon them as they lay head towards us on the ground. And every man had a round red spot on top of his head, about as big as a dollar where the redskins had taken his scalp. It was frightful, but I was grotesque, and the red sunlight seemed to pain everything all over. I remember one man had on buckskin beeches” (McClure).

The rationale of the gold’s worth, individuals wished to maneuver from east to west to mine for gold. The Americans pushed the Indians far from the land, so that they may mine for gold. The Indians didn't wish to move, and that they fought back furiously to carry their own. Gold has had a profound result on North America. the primary recorded discovery transpired 250 years later in 1799, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. The last nice gold rush happened in Klondike in 1897. because the company kicked off their journey to wash up the planet of it’s gold, officers were continuously questioned of wherever to let the companies dump all their waste and destroy the ecosystem. Plant Nutrition Technologies came up with an innovative solution; they used residual materials to counterpoint soil on farmland to make super

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

Many folks that live in a dusty small town whoop and holler as they get ready to head out across a vast prairie in wagons that are in groups of four, while others load up all their belongings, and head towards the ships that will take them across stormy waters, and windy seas. These people are all heading out of town for the same reason, to find gold. The California Gold Rush was a time for success, glory, and of course gold. That is what most people believed considering it was a treacherous and extremely long journey to reach California and get gold that might not be found. During the beginning of the California Gold Rush, numerous people had the opportunity to strike gold and become extremely wealthy, but they had to undergo the challenges

In early 1848, cries of gold findings flooded the West. White settlers flooded the area like a hurricane in search of riches never seen before to the common man. It was the single greatest migration of people in a shortest amount of time. The gold rush was a very dark period in American history and it shouldn’t be celebrated; the Native American’s were slaughtered in American thirst for gold Explosions of violence from both natives and settlers were common in this environment of prejudice and greed. Between 1850 and 1890 eighty percent of the total number of Native Americans in California died due to murder and massacre, disease, starvation, and forced migration from their native lands. The destruction of the culture and lives of the people native to California and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Greed changed the morals and values of the miners and Americans alike in the Gold Rush. The gold rush brought riches and highlighted racism of white Americans, while systematically destroying Native Americans in that region.

While the United States of America were developing and people there were exploring the territory, land and its natural resources, they discovered gold under the earth’s surface, in the mines. In January, 1848, James W. Marshall, found a shiny yellow piece of metal, wandering along the tailrace on the American River. Afterwards the inspection, he claimed that it was a gold nugget. (Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1889). History of California, Volume 23: 1843–1850. San Francisco: The History Company. pp. 32–34.) At that time, with reference to “History of California” written by Hubert Howe, the famous Gold Rush took place in California. Miners were working hard in order to search for more gold pieces. However, miners needed a strong, high quality material

Silent film has no recorded sound but can include background music and special effects. Since there was no way to record people talking, music was used instead. Music establishes setting, creates mood, atmosphere and may foreshadow. Charlie Chaplin is one of the most famous producers and directors of the silent film era. Not only did he write, he acted and scored movies too. In Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush (1925), the dance of the rolls in the official version was officially composed by Chaplin to help correlate with his actions by using an Orchestra. It was later recreated; however, it was composed using a piano. Although, people of that time period may argue that Chaplin’s version is the best one and more effective because it is an original, the piano version is the best.