The Gold RUSH Good as Gold Todays Objectives

The Gold RUSH Good as Gold

Today’s Objectives • Describe how the discovery of gold changed California. • Explain the final impact of the California Gold Rush 9/24/2020 2

Discovery Changes California • James Marshall- carpenter who discovered gold in CA. (1848) • Forty-Niner person who went to CA to find gold in 1849. • Californiossettlers of Spanish or Mexican descent who populated CA. 9/24/2020 3

The Rush for Gold • 1 of greatest migrations of American History • Migrationmovement 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. 9/24/2020 4

Routes • Around S. America up Pacific Coast • Trail Across North America • Isthmus of Panama, cross land, sail to CA 9/24/2020 • Dangers – Storms, Spoiled food, seasickness – Mts. , disease, rivers, prairies, – Risk catching deadly tropical disease 5

Changes for Californios • Challenged by a new wave of pioneers • Mariano Vallejo– Prosperous Californio who lost a lot of property after American settlement. 9/24/2020 6

The Gold Seekers (49 ers) • 2/3 Americans • Natives, free blacks, enslaved African Americans • Foreigners from: – Mexico – Europe – S. America – Australia 9/24/2020 7

China • 1851: 1 in 10 immigrants – Chinese • Made profits from mines that were abandoned • Americans envied their success increased resentment 9/24/2020 8

Mining Camps • Tents on stream wooden buildings • Few got rich – Exhaustion – Poor Food – Disease 9/24/2020 Damaged Miner’s Health 9

Opportunities & Turmoil • 1850 California became a free state • Population explosion ruined Californios – Didn’t respect their legal rights – American seized their property 9/24/2020 10

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. 9/24/2020 11

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) 9/24/2020 12

Economic Effects of Statehood • San Fran – Became center of banking, manufacturing, shipping & trade, farming. 9/24/2020 13

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 – – 9/24/2020 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. 14