1. The Gold RUSH
Good as Gold

2. Today’s Objectives
Describe how the discovery of gold changed California.
Explain the final impact of the California Gold Rush
5/28/2018

3. Discovery Changes California
James Marshall-
carpenter who discovered gold in CA. (1848)
Forty-Niner
person who went to CA to find gold in
Californios-
settlers of Spanish or Mexican descent who populated CA.
5/28/2018

4. The Rush for Gold 1 of greatest migrations of American History
movement of ppl from 1 country or locality to another.
1849 California Gold Rush-
Migration of 1000’s of settlers to CA in search of gold.
1000’s gold seekers went to make their fortune.
5/28/2018

5. Routes Routes Around S. America up Pacific Coast
Trail Across North America
Isthmus of Panama, cross land, sail to CA
Dangers
Storms, Spoiled food, seasickness
Mts., disease, rivers, prairies,
Risk catching deadly tropical disease
5/28/2018

6. Changes for Californios
Challenged by a new wave of pioneers
Mariano Vallejo-
Prosperous Californio who lost a lot of property after American settlement.
5/28/2018

7. The Gold Seekers (49ers) 2/3 Americans
Natives, free blacks, enslaved African Americans
Foreigners from:
Mexico
Europe
S.America
Australia
5/28/2018

8. China 1851: 1 in 10 immigrants – Chinese
Made profits from mines that were abandoned
Americans envied their success  increased resentment
5/28/2018

9. Mining Camps Tents on stream  wooden buildings Few got rich
Exhaustion
Poor Food
Disease Damaged Miner’s Health
5/28/2018

10. Opportunities & Turmoil
1850 California became a free state
Population explosion ruined Californios
Didn’t respect their legal rights
American seized their property
5/28/2018

11. Native Americans 1000’s died from disease Killed by settlers
Rivers: Diverted, polluted
Hunting grounds: taken over
Foreigners
- forced out by Americans to reduce competition.
5/28/2018

12. Foreign Miners Tax
Imposed a tax of $20/month on miners from other countries
Effects:
too expensive, foreigners left mines
foreigners opened shops, restaurants, laundries (Chinatown)
5/28/2018

13. Economic Effects of Statehood
San Fran
Became center of banking, manufacturing, shipping & trade, farming.
5/28/2018

14. Today’s Objectives
Describe how the discovery of gold changed California.
Huge migration
Fast economic growth
Californios lost their land
Explain the final impact of the California Gold Rush
California became state (free) -> conflict over free/slave states
Californios ruined
Many Native Americans died/killed, lost land & rivers, polluted
Foreign Miners Tax  Chinatown in S.F.
5/28/2018