American History The Gold Rush of 1849 William Coskran

Gold nuggets were discovered in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848. This sparked one of the most
defining events of American history. News of the gold in California spread and people came from far
and wide, multiplying the state's population one-hundred fold. The gold craze hit the nation like a
wildfire and before long men were taking out loans and mortgages to make it to California to try to
strike rich. The increase in population and the destruction and change brought upon by the mining
forever changed California.

The question of how the gold rush began could be answered by James Wilson Marshall, who made the
discovery of flakes of gold in the American river at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains in
California. At the time, James was working to build a water powered sawmill for John Sutter, a
German-born Swiss citizen and the founder of a colony of Nueva Helvetia (New Switzerland).
Interestingly, this colony would later become the city of Sacramento. James and John were excited
though, for they knew it was gold. However despite their best efforts, news of the gold got out.

Just days after the discovery at Sutter's Mill, the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, ending the
Mexican-American war. This meant that California became a part of the United States. The population
at that times was about 6,500 Californios (people of Mexican or Spanish descent) 700 foreigners
(mainly American) and 150,000 Native Americans. The end of this war also eased the process for
Americans to travel to California, and when newspapers started reporting all the gold that was
discovered, travel they did. In 1949, men left their homes and family across the states to try their luck
in California. These prospectors were known as the 49'ers.

The men left their wives and families behind as they set out to California. This meant that the women
left behind were left with new responsibilities, such as running farms and businesses, and taking care of
their children alone. By 1950, the population became one hundred thousand, 80,000 more than the high
just two years ago. This rapid increase in population also led to businesses opening such as saloons,
shops, brothels, and others looking to make their own Gold Rush fortune. This overcrowded chaos led
to more violence, banditry, gambling, and prostitution. San Francisco then became a central metropolis
with a bustling economy.

It's no wonder why so many flocked to California in the hopes of riches. A total of two billion dollars in
gold were extracted during this time, which peaked in 1852. Many made their livelihoods off of mining
and it certainly sped up California's entrance into the Union. However as time went on, less and less
gold was getting discovered and eventually machines started being used and many prospectors lost
their independence in favor of wage labor. The region's landscape suffered greatly, but the machines
scraped the bottom of the barrel for gold in California and the gold rush was over. However it's legacy
would shape much of the future of America.