California Gold Rush Research Paper

Words: 636

Pages: 3

Open Document

The California Gold Rush and Its Impacts Have you ever dreamed of finding gold? Striking it rich and never having to work again? Well that was the dream of many in 1848; gold was found in California and hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the state in search of it. This was a major event in United States history, pushing California to statehood. People from across the globe migrated to America during this time, impacting the country, economy, and environment in a multitude of ways. There were two men at the center of the gold rush: John Sutter and James Marshall. Sutter was a German-Swiss immigrant who owned land on the Sacramento and American Rivers. He was given this land from Mexico, Sutter was able to persuade the Mexican government …show more content…
A few years later Sutter hired James W. Marshall, a carpenter from New Jersey, to help him at his sawmill. On the morning of January 24, 1848, Marshall was inspecting the waterflow at the mill, this is when he spotted a shiny object in the water. He had stopped to retrieve the object from the water, “he looked with awe at a pea-sized gold nugget lying in his hand” (Legends of America). With the men’s discovery of gold, also came the Treaty of Guadalupe, officially making Sutters’ “New Switzerland” part of the United States territory. Although the men were joyful of their discovery, they mutually decided to keep the gold a secret. This proved to be challenging, especially now that they were officially a part of the US. “Before the discovery of gold, the territory's population was approximately 160,000, the vast majority of whom were Native Americans,” (Brittanica). The natives in this area were known for living off the land, with them scavenging for their necessities there was extremely likely for them to accidentally stumble across gold just as Marshall had. Though this proved not to be the downfall of their

California Gold Rush Research Paper

The California Gold Rush is one of the most important events in California history. From the discovery of gold by John Sutter and James Marshall to the shaping of California, it has played an enormous role in creating history. It led a great influx of immigrants around the world and served as a hope to gain financial power, and many people did get a fortune from the Gold Rush. Moreover, because of the Gold Rush, California became well-known and populated which are the foundations of a good states…

Words 1809 - Pages 8

California Gold Rush Research Paper

The California Gold Rush of the mid-19th century stands as one of the most significant events in American history, reshaping the nation's economic, social, and cultural landscape. Sparked by the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848, the rush brought a tidal wave of fortune seekers from around the world to the rugged terrain of California. This influx of migrants, known as 'forty-niners,' not only sought wealth but also catalyzed profound changes in California and the wider United States. By…

Words 1002 - Pages 5

California Gold Rush Research Paper

In 1849, many people from all over the world began making their way to California. Those people gained the nickname of the 49ers, this was because they began moving in 1849. There were many people traveling there. There was an estimate made that around 100,000 people went to California during the gold rush. Some of these people have come from very far away places all around the world. Some of those places people were traveling from were the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and…

Words 566 - Pages 3

California Gold Rush Research Paper

The California Gold Rush was the biggest migration in all of US history. As the gold rush seems like a really good thing for everyone it did have some devastating effects like the gold rush was bad for the environment from all the mining which led to laws being restricted for miners to go into rivers hydraulic ming ended up being outlawed because of the gold rush. On the other hand though there were growth in cities because families came to california so towns started to open up as well as hotels…

Words 201 - Pages 1

California Gold Rush Research Paper

Slaves was used to get the gold that was found during the California Gold Rush, even though California started being a Union state in 1850.One of the reasons the Civil War was started was because of the California Gold Rush.Is it right to use slaves, especially to get gold? Judging by the fact that a war was started from it, and there’s none of it around here, it doesn’t seem so.Slaves was used to get the gold that was found during the California Gold Rush, even though California started being a Union…

Words 841 - Pages 4

California Gold Rush Research Paper

Have you ever heard of the California Gold Rush? People rushing to find gold in California, hoping to strike gold and become rich? It wasn’t that sweet. It ended with around 150,000 people dead. The California Gold Rush should be memorialized because over two-thirds of the Native American population in California was killed, enslaved, or forced to move away during the Gold Rush by the white supremacists who had moved there hoping to become rich. The California Gold Rush should be memorialized as a…

Words 427 - Pages 2

California Gold Rush Research Paper

The California gold rush began in 1848 when James Marshall discovered tiny flakes of gold in the American River in Coloma, California while constructing a water-powered sawmill for John Shutter. Although the two men tried to keep their discovery a secret, news of their finding quickly spread and soon men from across the region were flocking to Shutter’s mill in hopes of discovering their own treasure. One of these such men was Samuel Brannan, a businessman and newspaper-owner from San Francisco.…

Words 991 - Pages 4

California Gold Rush Research Paper

During the California Gold Rush, Native Americans were treated horribly and brutally killed. The Gold Rush caused the Native American lands to be bad for use. The Gold Rush brought droughts and illnesses that the Native Americans had to suffer from. The website showed this when they wrote, “...between 9,000 and 16,000 were murdered in cold blood—the victims of a policy of genocide sponsored by the state of California and gleefully assisted by its newest citizens.” (history.com). This website talks…

Words 277 - Pages 2

California Gold Rush Research Paper

California’s economy rocked during the gold rush because business ideas were inspired. Two main examples include Sam Brannan and Levi Strayss who saw greater success in “helping” the miners. Sam Brannan led some Mormons out to California around the time of the gold rush and besides joining in on the hunt for gold he decided to get rich off the people doing the mining. He became the first millionaire in California by setting up a tool shop. Brannan saw opportunity in selling tents, buckets, shovels…

Words 200 - Pages 1

California Gold Rush Research Paper

The second reason the Gold Rush impacted migration and settlement in California was because of cultural diversity. In “The World Rushed In” from Picture This: California Perspectives on American History, it reads “The Americans who came to search for gold were black as well as white, from all states and territories. In addition, gold seekers from all over the globe raced to California. They came from Mexico, Peru, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, and, in the largest concentration, China”, stating that…

Words 584 - Pages 3