1849 Gold Rush

Swiss immigrant Allowed to form a colony in California Sutter’s Fort

January, 1848 James Marshall discovered gold on John Sutter ’ s land

Called “ Forty-niners ” Left in 1849 Present-day Sacramento, CA destroyed his land stole from him ruined his crops

100,000 people between 1848 and 1849 most were single, adventurous men came from around the world (Mexico, Europe, China, Australia) By land By sea Chinese were the largest group of foreign 49ers Faced extreme discrimination

Inexperienced miners About 5% of immigrants were women and children

Group of western travelers headed to California 1846 One of the first groups to travel on the California Trail Looking for a short-cut Got lost

Stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Early winter snow fall Stranded for 6 months 89 total people 42 died Resorted to cannibalism

Taught future travelers what to do in order to survive the journey.

Interesting facts : Two thirds of the women survived; two thirds of the men died. Four girls aged three and under died; two survived. No girls between the ages of 4 and 16 died. Four boys aged three and under died; none survived. Six boys between the ages of 4 and 16 died. All the adult males who survived the entrapment (Breen, Eddy, Foster, Keseberg) were fathers. All the bachelors (single males over age 21) who were trapped in the Sierra died. (Bachelor Walter Herron did survive, but he wasn't trapped in the mountains; Jean-Baptiste Trudeau and Noah James survived the entrapment, but were only about 16 years old and are not considered bachelors).

By the end of 1848 $6 millions worth of gold taken from the American River In the first year of the gold rush $500 million worth of gold was found

the richest people were those who provided the miners with supplies and service Merchants Saloon owners Hotel owners No competition Goods were scarce Large amount of gold in circulation.

Immigrant Originally planned to make tents and canvas Made a fortune on denim jeans

New communities practically built overnight Shinbone Peak Murderers’ Gulch Whiskey Diggings Hangtown Poker Flat

Very few miners actually achieved lasting wealth. Difficult, time- consuming work Drinking, gambling, and fighting Need for vigilantes Few women

More than doubled the world’s supply of gold. Agriculture, shipping, and trade expanded California’s population soared Devastating effects on Native Americans

Pres. Zachary Taylor urged California to apply to statehood Free state admitted to the Union in 1850 Required compromise