New Settlers in California & Utah Section Four

A) California Gold Rush

California 49ers After the war in 1849, thousands of Americans rushed into California to look for gold

Californios The Mexicans living in California were now citizens but had to claim their lands in court.

Boom- towns Boomtowns were built as thousands rushed to the new areas.

Vigilantes These towns were violent places often relying on vigilante justice for law and order.

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush doubled the world’s supply of gold, but did not make miners rich.

Levi Strauss The merchants in the boomtowns made lots of money selling supplies.

Statehood for California In 1850, California eventually applied for statehood. This caused a crisis in Congress because CA was a free state and the South did not want to upset the balance.

B) A Religious Refuge in Utah

Joseph Smith The Mormons arrived in the Utah Territory in 1830 to create a new community with a new view on Christianity. They were led by Joseph Smith.

The Mormons Joseph Smith was killed in Illinois after being driven out of several communities. The Mormons believed in communal ownership of property and polygamy. People did not agree with his lifestyle.

Brigham Young Brigham Young took over the Mormons and decided to take the church to the new Utah territory.

Mormon Migration In 1846, over 12,000 Mormons moved west to set up communities in the Great Salt Lake region. They became very successful.

Great Salt Lake In 1850, the U.S. got the Salt Lake area and made Utah a U.S. territory with Brigham Young as the governor.

Utah Territory Due to conflicts, Utah did not become a state until 1896.