It gave reason to move west and build up the population. Because of the gold rush california's population grew rapidly and california became a state. The prospectors arrived by covered wagons and ships. “The first Forty-Niners reached San Francisco, the nearest port, on the steamer California on Feb. 28, 1849. Other ships soon followed. Prospectors also arrived in covered wagons by way of the Oregon Trail and the California Trail. Others came from Europe, Latin America, and China.” (California Gold Rush). Once the gold rush had come to an end a good majority of the prospectors had made a very good fortune of gold, the others that went as lucky with the gold became farmers and