The California Gold Rush Chapter 13, Section 4 (p. 439-443)

Forty-Niners People who went to California to find gold Began in 1849 Mostly men www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDkqvqqjMAA

A Discovery Changes California Before 1849 Native Americans Californios – settlers of Spanish or Mexican descent Mostly cattle ranchers

The Rush for Gold One month before the Mexican Cession became part of the USA “My eye was caught be a glimpse of something shining….It made my heart thump for I felt certain it was gold.” ~James Marshall, 1st discoverer Sparked one of the greatest migrations in US history www.youtube.com/watch?v=r03DKbVhfvU

The Rush for Gold, cont. Travel Options Sail 18,000 miles around South America and up the Pacific Coast Storms, Seasickness, Spoiled Food Sail to Panama, cross overland, and sail to California Tropical disease in Panama Travel the trails across North America Rivers, prairies, mountains, hardships

The Gold Seekers 2/3 American Mexican, European, South American, Australian, Chinese Chinese miners focused on “played-out” sites Mined the more difficult-to-find gold Mining Camps Exhaustion, poor food, disease High prices for supplies

Impact – Opportunities and Turmoil Admitted as a free state in 1850 African Americans could not vote Californios Few, if any, legal rights Lost land

Native Americans and Foreigners Thousands died from disease and killed by settlers Miners’ destruction of the environment affected Native Americans’ survival Foreigners Often forced out by Americans to reduce competition Foreign Miners Tax $20 per month Many (Chinese) opened businesses in response

Effects of Statehood Economic Government San Francisco grew to become a center of banking, manufacturing, shipping, and trade Sacramento became the center of an important farming region Government California tipped the balance of slave and free states in the USA

Dates Events Effects 1820-1840 Westward trails move 1000s to new territories Austin and others colonize Texas Texans revolt against Mexico Native Americans are displaced Earlier settlers are pushed aside Republic of Texas is proclaimed 1841-1848 Texas annexed as a slave state Mexican Cession War with Mexico Almost 50% of Mexican territory is acquired by the United States 1849-1853 California Gold Rush U.S. transcontinental railroad planned California enters Union as a free state Gadsden Purchase completes expansion of the United States