The California Gold Rush

1. The California Gold Rush Chapter 13 Section 4

2. California Before the Rush • Populated by Native Americans and Californios • Settlers of Spanish or Mexican descent • Lived on huge cattle ranches acquired from California missions. • John Sutter • Persuaded Mexican governor to give him land in 1839 • Built a fort on 50,000 acres, dreamed of agricultural empire

3. Sutter’s Mill • In 1848, Sutter sent James Marshall to build a sawmill on the American River • “My eye was caught by a glimpse of something shining…I reached my hand down and picked it up; it made my heart thump for I felt certain it was gold”

4. Rush for Gold • News of the discovery spread rapidly • Miners soon found gold in other streams • 1849 thousands of gold seekers headed to CA: called “49er’s”

5. Reaching California • Fortune seekers had three ways to get to California: • Sail around South America • 18,000 miles, storms, sickness, spoiled food • Sail to Isthmus of Panama, cross overland, then sail to CA • Risk of deadly tropical disease • Travel trails across North America

6. Who Went to California? • Young men • “A gray beard is almost as rare as a petticoat” Luzena Wilson • In 6 months she only saw 2 other women in Sacramento • 2/3rds were white Americans • Others were Native Americans, free blacks, slaves • Mexico, Europe, South American, Australia, China

7. Conflicts • Began to force Native Americans, Mexicans and Chinese out of gold fields • Discrimination increased after CA became a state in 1850 • Foreign Miners Tax: imposed a tax of $20 a month on miners from other countries • Most left or opened other businesses

8. Life in the Mining Camps • Mad Mule Gulch, Hangtown, Coyote Diggings • Began as rows of tents, then rough wooden buildings of stores and saloons • Mining towns were dangerous • A long way away from Mom and Wife: a “No” culture

9. Mining Life • Pickings were rare • Days spent in knee-deep icy streams • Sifted through sand and mud • Exhaustion, poor food, and disease • Outrageous high prices for basic supplies • Gamblers and con artists

10. Who became Rich? • Merchants: • Restaurants • Hotels • Boarding Houses • General Stores • Laundries • Wells, Fargo, and Co.

11. Impacts of Gold Rush • 1852 Gold Rush over • 250,000 now in CA • Caused economic growth • Port city of San Francisco became center of banking, manufacturing, shipping and trade. • Sacramento became center of a productive farming region

12. Impacts of Gold Rush • Californios had property seized by Americans • Spanish Heritage still lives in CA and Southwest • Native Americans suffered disease, loss of hunting grounds, murdered • By 1870 their population went from 150,000 to 58,000 • California became a free state, causing an unbalance in the Senate

13. Impacts of Gold Rush • Transcontinental Railroad • Connected both coasts • Built up towns along the rails • Moved goods across the continent • Environmental • Used hydro mining, tore away hillsides and bluffs • Streambeds redirected due to digging • Fish were killed