The California Gold The California Gold RushRush

Gold was Found in Gold was Found in California, and thousands California, and thousands rushed to that territory. rushed to that territory.

California Quickly became California Quickly became a statea state

Key Terms and Key Key Terms and Key FiguresFigures

Key TermsKey Terms Forty-NinerForty-Niner CalifornioCalifornio California Gold California Gold

RushRush

Key PeopleKey People Mariano VallejoMariano Vallejo John SutterJohn Sutter James MarshallJames Marshall

Gold in Them Thar HillsGold in Them Thar Hills Prior to the Gold Rush, California was home to Prior to the Gold Rush, California was home to

150,000 Native Americans and about 12,000 150,000 Native Americans and about 12,000 CaliforniosCalifornios

Some Californios owned large plots of land, like Some Californios owned large plots of land, like Mariano Vallejo, and old military commander for Mariano Vallejo, and old military commander for Mexico who owned 250,000 acresMexico who owned 250,000 acres

While few immigrants could buy land, John While few immigrants could buy land, John Sutter of Switzerland would buy 50,000 acres Sutter of Switzerland would buy 50,000 acres and began to set up his dream empireand began to set up his dream empire

When John Sutter commissioned James Marshall When John Sutter commissioned James Marshall to build a saw mill gold would be discovered on to build a saw mill gold would be discovered on his land leading to the California Gold Rushhis land leading to the California Gold Rush

Golden OpportunitiesGolden Opportunities

Marshall’s discovery led to the Marshall’s discovery led to the California Gold RushCalifornia Gold Rush as thousands as thousands of settlers, known as 49’ers, of settlers, known as 49’ers, raced to California to find goldraced to California to find gold

Gold would be found in many Gold would be found in many rivers around the area estimated rivers around the area estimated to be able to pay for the entire to be able to pay for the entire Mexican War 10 times overMexican War 10 times over

A long way to go…and a A long way to go…and a short time to get thereshort time to get there

Three routes led to California including:Three routes led to California including:

By sea, around South America suffering from By sea, around South America suffering from storms, sickness, and spoiled foodstorms, sickness, and spoiled food

Sail to Panama, cross over land, and reach Sail to Panama, cross over land, and reach California but risk tropical diseaseCalifornia but risk tropical disease

Travel across the United States risking all Travel across the United States risking all the hardships of the westthe hardships of the west

Because of the difficulty of getting to Because of the difficulty of getting to California, mostly young men made the California, mostly young men made the trip to find fortunetrip to find fortune

No Quick RichesNo Quick Riches Soon after the Rush, Gold Mining Towns Soon after the Rush, Gold Mining Towns

popped up with saloons, stores, and popped up with saloons, stores, and many Dangersmany Dangers

While stories of getting rich over night While stories of getting rich over night spread through the west, sickness spread through the west, sickness disease and death were more commondisease and death were more common

In reality, riches were rare, and most In reality, riches were rare, and most miners would lose money buying land, miners would lose money buying land, supplies, and being swindled by Con supplies, and being swindled by Con Artists and gamblersArtists and gamblers

Mine Your own BusinessMine Your own Business Miners were mostly white New Englanders, Miners were mostly white New Englanders,

Native Americans, Free Blacks and Slaves also Native Americans, Free Blacks and Slaves also worked as Miners worked as Miners

As foreign Immigration swept through California, As foreign Immigration swept through California, Chinese immigrants made up 10 percent of all Chinese immigrants made up 10 percent of all immigrantsimmigrants

Chinese Miners would buy “played out” mines Chinese Miners would buy “played out” mines and work them for profitand work them for profit

Many California Miners would soon grow to Many California Miners would soon grow to resent the Chinese miners due to their riches resent the Chinese miners due to their riches and culture and culture

The Real ChinatownThe Real Chinatown Miners soon became cheats working scams to Miners soon became cheats working scams to

mine the landmine the land

As gold became scarce, miners forced Chinese As gold became scarce, miners forced Chinese immigrants and Native Americans off the landimmigrants and Native Americans off the land

Once California became a state they would Once California became a state they would pass the foreign Miner’s Tax at $20 which pass the foreign Miner’s Tax at $20 which would force the immigrants out of the statewould force the immigrants out of the state

The displaced Chinese immigrants would soon The displaced Chinese immigrants would soon open up businesses around the cities around open up businesses around the cities around the minesthe mines

The Power of GreedThe Power of Greed As 250,000 people moved to California, As 250,000 people moved to California,

San Francisco grew into a banking and San Francisco grew into a banking and port town, and Sacramento turned into a port town, and Sacramento turned into a farming townfarming town

Many Californios Lost their large Many Californios Lost their large Amounts of land to the American SettlersAmounts of land to the American Settlers

Native Americans suffered worse fates Native Americans suffered worse fates dying of disease, or being hunted and dying of disease, or being hunted and murdered for their landmurdered for their land

Rags to RichesRags to Riches California would be admitted as a State in California would be admitted as a State in

1849 as a free state in the union1849 as a free state in the union

For some slaves California became an For some slaves California became an opportunity to start a new life and gain opportunity to start a new life and gain wealth, like Nancy Gooch who bough the wealth, like Nancy Gooch who bough the Sutter SawmillSutter Sawmill

California also became a threat to California also became a threat to slavery, upsetting the Balance of free and slavery, upsetting the Balance of free and slave states adding turmoil to the battle slave states adding turmoil to the battle against slaveryagainst slavery

This has been This has been another World another World

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