People either rode wagons, walked, or even sailed to get to California. The Journey Around Cape Horn, a route travelers took to get to California for gold, took people six to eight months and the distance was about 3,000 miles. The trip was not smooth because it consisted of bumpy mountain ranges and fear of Native American attacks. Every person wanted to get their hands on their own gold, by the time most got there, it was hard to find. Gold was so compelling, that people risked their lives and spent their money in hopes of collecting some gold. Even the toughest obstacles would not limit them, which proves how crucial the gold was to them, and, therefore, the journey West. As well as gold being a strong influence on the people, the dream of modernization of the Westward territory also drew people there. John Gast, a Prussian-born American painter and lithographer, finished his painting called American Progress in 1872. In the painting, American Progress, there are three groups of people traveling west, miners, farmers, natives, as well as an angel. Document D. The. The angel carries a school book and wire as she flies over the image, creating power