Transcript Rush for California Gold

Rush for
California
Gold

Mexican gov’t feared American
immigration due to Texas

John Sutter

Persuaded the govt. to grant him 50,000
acres in the unsettled Sacramento Valley
California

In 1848, James Marshall, a
carpenter, was building a sawmill
near for Sutter & found gold in
the American river

Thousands of gold seekers
rushed to California to get rich

The forty-niners set out to make
fortunes in gold
Routes to Fortune

Sail 18,000 miles around
South America

Suffer from storms,
seasickness, & spoiled food

Sail to Panama, cross
overland (risk catching
deadly disease), & then sail
to CA

Travel across North
America

Brave rivers, mountains, &
other hardships on trail

100,000 people
came in 1849


From U.S., Europe,
Asia, Mexico,
Canada, etc.
Most Americans
were white

Some Native
Americans, free
blacks, Chinese
immigrants, &
slaves came as well
Conflict & Change

Native Americans
& foreigners
forced out



Poor treatment
To reduce
competition
Rush ended by
1852

About 250,000
people flooded
into California
IMPACT OF THE GOLD RUSH




The economy boomed
Population numbers soared
Chinese miners left gold fields & started
business
Californios were ruined financially & socially


Native American population plummeted


In many cases, Americans seized their property
From 150,000 to nearly 58,000 by 1870
California applied for statehood


1850 – admitted as a free state
Unbalanced the power in Congress
U.S. Expansion: 1846 - 1853
CAUSE
Westward trails move thousands of
people to new territories
Austin and others colonize Texas
EFFECT
Oregon Territory acquired by
the United States
Texas Revolution
United States annexes Texas
U.S. – Mexican War
Mexican Cession acquired by the
United States
United States expands from
“sea to sea”
Thousands of gold seekers rush to
California
California becomes a free
state
Transcontinental railroad route
needed
Gadsden Purchase
Territorial Growth to 1853