California Gold Rush

In 1848 a man named John Sutter commissioned a builder named James Marshall to build his sawmill. He was shocked when Marshall accidentally struck gold on the building site. Sutter and Marshall attempted to keep the discovery a secret, but soon, the gold strike became news worldwide. Mining towns were set up, and tens of thousands of people flocked to them, hoping to strike it rich. But in just two years, these towns became ghost towns, abandoned and empty. This is the story of the California Gold Rush.

California Gold Rush Timeline

California Gold Rush History

California was sparsely populated before the Gold Rush. It was a common place for traders from Mexico and the United States to meet, so aside from the indigenous people who had settled in the region, there was little permanent settlement. American merchants traded factory-made goods for gold and silver coins, animal hides, and other goods.

Fig. 1: Sutter's Fort

Before the Mexican-American War, Mexican officials discouraged American settlement. One exception was John Sutter, who was permitted to start a colony. When Sutter came to California, he appealed to the governor, Juan Bautista Alvarado, for land to settle. He was permitted to settle the land, but he had to become a Mexican citizen first. Sutter's land was seen as a way to stop American encroachment into Mexican land.

Fig. 2: Sutter's Mill.

California Gold Rush Summary

In January 1848, James Marshall was tasked with building a sawmill near the Sacramento River. Sutter's Mill is located near the present-day city of Coloma. It was here as Marshall and Sutter discovered gold.

Fig. 3: John Sutter.

John Sutter and James Marshall had agreed to keep the gold discovery a secret. However, it was not long before others found out. Many of Sutter's workers quit their jobs to go search for gold. Miners came from the surrounding areas like Monterey and San Francisco. Californios and Native Americas followed them.

Rumors of a gold discovery swept the nation, fueled by President Polk discussing the gold rush in a congressional address in December 1848. Crowded ships from the northeast landed in San Francisco. Thousands of wagon trains crossed the Missouri River. Future miners came from all over, all excited by the prospect of the gold rush.

Fig. 4: James Marshall

Miners struggled with severe inflation. A large amount of gold in circulation in California led to extremely high prices for food and goods. Once the supply of gold decreased, mining towns were abandoned.

California Gold Rush Ends

The California Gold Rush ended in the 1850s. The excitement fizzled out as the gold supply dried up. Mining towns became ghost towns as the residents moved on to somewhere with a more plentiful gold supply.

California Gold Rush Facts

People all around the world rushed to California to mine for gold. Here are some facts about them.

California Gold Rush Facts Immigration

Over 20,000 men immigrated from China to California after gold was found. However, they were not welcomed in California.

The Californian government placed a high tax on all foreign miners. Some Chinese men were attacked. Many Chinese immigrants abandoned mining and moved to San Francisco, where they became established in the business community.

Fig. 5: Chinese Fisherman in Mendocino, CA.

California Gold Rush Facts Women

Around 5% of immigrants during the gold rush were women and children. Women made money by cooking, washing clothing, and running boarding houses for miners.

California Gold Rush Significance

The California Gold Rush had both positive and negative effects. It was positive for the United States, which gained a new territory but devastated the Native American tribes.

California Gold Rush Significance Statehood

California experienced severe population growth after the discovery of gold. By 1850 there were enough residents for California to become the 31st state. California's government had been small before the gold rush. It was not prepared for the influx of residents. President Taylor encouraged California to craft a state constitution that condemned slavery. California then applied to be admitted to the Union.

A federal census was conducted in 1860, counting over 300,000 residents. This was more than double the population of California before the gold rush.

Fig. 6: California State Flag.

California Gold Rush Significance Native Peoples

Californios and California Native Americans were impacted negatively by the population boom. At the start of the gold rush, there were approximately 150,000 native Americans. By 1861, a little over a decade later, only 30,000 were left. They lost their lives to violence and disease. Their natural habitats and way of life were destroyed.

California Gold Rush Significance Economic Growth

In the absence of gold, Californians began cultivating wheat and raising cattle in the central valley. Farming and ranching became an essential way for many to make a living. Agriculture became a large part of the Californian economy.

Fig. 7: California's Central Valley.