How the Gold Rush Shaped American History: An In-depth Analysis

This essay delves into the significant impact of the Gold Rush on American history, starting with James Wilson Marshall's discovery of gold in 1848. The influx of gold miners dramatically increased California's population, leading to rapid economic growth and the extraction of billions of dollars worth of metals. The essay explores the social, economic, and environmental consequences of the Gold Rush, including the displacement and suffering of Native Americans, the rise of boomtowns, and the transformation of California into the 31st state. It also discusses the technological advancements in mining, the competition among miners, and the overall effect on American society and its trajectory during the 19th century. The document is available on Desklib, a platform offering a wide array of study tools and resources for students.

Running head: GOLD RUSH
How Did Gold Rush Affect American History?
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How did Gold Rush affect American History?
In the year of 1848, the Gold Nuggets were discovered due to which the era of Gold Rush
started sparking much significantly. It was argued that this event was one of the most significant
incidents that created the greater impact on the American history. Especially, during the first half
of the 19th century, this incident proved to be much effective for the American environment. It
was reported that almost thousands of the prospective gold miners traveled by land or sea to the
surrounding areas of San Francisco. After migrating from different places, it was noticed that the
population increased from 1000 in pre-1848 to almost 100,000 by the end of 1849. As a result, it
was noticed that almost $2 billion worth of metals were extracted during this period. The amount
reached at its peak during the year of 18521. The study will therefore focus on the impacts
created on American History due to the gold rush.
The era of Gold Rush holds the much significance in the American History. In the year
of 1848, James Wilson Marshall, a carpenter from New Jersey identified some gold flakes in
American River, which was based at the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Marshall was associated with
a work of building the water-powered sawmill during that period. This sawmill was then owned
by John Sutter who was the founder of a colony in Nueva Hevetia. The discovery of gold
brought the drastic transformation during the time. Another most considerable incident was the
ending of Mexican-American War by signing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo soon after the
discovery of Marshall at Sutter’s Mill. California was then left at the hands of United States
when the war ended between America and Mexico. Simultaneously, the population of the
1 McGuinness, Aims. Path of empire: Panama and the California gold rush. Cornell University
Press, 2016.

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territory consisted of almost 6500 people from California. Among them, almost 700 people were
the foreigners and around 150,000 were Native Americans. It was even noticed that during 1769,
barely half of the number of people were there when the Spanish settlers arrived. The news
created the significant buzz among the natives that supposedly created the most observable
scenario during such period. Moreover, the increasing number of the gold also created the
discovery of the new opportunities that made the differences on their perceptions. In spite of
hiding the news, it was spread by the newspaper media. Marshall was overwhelmed with joy for
his discovery of gold that brought the drastic transformation during the time. The higher worth of
the precious metals was much beneficial in increasing the economic values. In spite of such huge
discovery, it was noticed that the initial reaction of San Francisco was of some sort of disbeliefs2.
Hence, a contradictory perception was also discovered during the time. The discovery turned up
amount of Gold was predicted to be the life changing prospects for the people in California.
Many scholars started researching about these areas and the changes brought to the country
during this period.
The news of the discovery of gold in the California area, was spread like fire fanned by
wind. Despite the fact that Marshall and Sutter tried their best to keep the news secret but the
media got the news. One newspaper recovered the true fact and figures of actual extraction of
gold in the Sutter mill. However, the initial reaction of the people was of disbelief but half of the
2 Anderson, Gary Clayton, and Laura Lee Anderson, eds. The Army Surveys of Gold Rush
California: Reports of Topographical Engineers, 1849–1851. University of Oklahoma Press,
2015.

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population of San Francisco left their town for gold mines and a huge number of gold miners
gathered the area when President James Polk announced the truth of this news.
The California Gold Rush had greatly affected the people of this region by dramatically
changing their demographics. After the war with Mexico, the population fo this territory was not
more than 160,000 and among these population the vast majority was the Native Americans.
However, about 1855, after the discovery of gold mine on this area, more than 300,000 miners
had already arrived. Among these migrants, most were the Americans and some of them were
from Europe, China and South America3. By 1849, the people mostly men, around the United
States, borrowed men and mortgaged their property as well as spent all the savings to make the
arduous journey to the gold mine areas in order to change their fortune and become wealthy. In
the pursuit of gold and wealth they had once dreamt of, make them strong to leave their families
and responsibilities behind and gather this place4. These people were call 49ers as they travelled
over lands across the mountains, seas and sailed to Panama even the southernmost part of South
America, Cape Horn.
The impact of visiting and starting the gold mines in the region of California had reached
the higher point which changed the face of this place. The enormous influx of people gave rise to
the gold mining towns and numerous cities. By the end of 1848, the non-native population was
3 Holliday, James S. The world rushed in: The California gold rush experience. University of
Oklahoma Press, 2015.
4 Cramer, Lorinda. "Making a Home in Gold-rush Victoria: Plain Sewing and the Genteel
Woman." Australian Historical Studies 48.2 (2017): 213-226.

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estimated more than 100,000 with the city San Francisco gained particular prominence among
all5. This also helped to grow shops, brothels, saloons and other associated businesses to make
own Gold Rush fortune. This Gold Rush in California region was credited with the hastening
statehood in 1850. San Francisco among all the towns, had developed an active economy
therefore, became central metropolis.
With all these growths necessary for the people to settle down this place, the teeming
chaos of people living in the mining camps as well as towns enhanced lawlessness. These
included gambling, rampant banditry, prostitution along with various kinds of violence. Despite
these issues, the gold rush in California, unquestionably sped up the admission as the 31st state
in the Union. Towards the end of 1849, California entered the Union with constitution to prevent
slavery6. This created confusion among the Congress dividing the supporters of slavery and the
abolitionists.
The situation became grave after the year 1850. Due to over extraction, the surface gold
gradually disappeared but the arrival of the miners was continuous7. Mining was at that time
difficult as well as dangerous which needed skill, hard work and most importantly luck. As the
extraction of gold became more difficult due to difficulty to reach, the rising industrialization of
5 Clark, Thomas D., ed. Gold Rush Diary: Being the Journal of Elisha Douglas Perkins on the
Overland Trail in the Spring and Summer of 1849. University Press of Kentucky, 2015.
6 Krakow, Jere L. "Jersey Gold: The Newark Overland Company’s Trek to California, 1849. By
Margaret Casterline Bowen and Gwendolyn Joslin Hiles." (2018): 220-220.
7 Kanazawa, Mark. Golden rules: The origins of California water law in the gold rush.
University of Chicago Press, 2015.

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the mining industry in California drove more miners from the independence to the wage labor.
More difficulty to extract gold for the mines led to technological advancement. The new
technique associated with hydraulic mining was introduced in this gold mine industry in 1853.
This however, reduced the labor of the slaves and workers in one hand and brought enormous
profits to the gold miners on the other. Most unfortunately this technological strategy to extract
gold from the mines, destroyed much of the landscape of this region8.
Another difficulty was associated with the competition among the individual miners. As
the gold mining region became more crowded, less gold could be found. Moreover, the Anglo-
American miners had become gradually territorial regarding their land as they tough this was
their land and meant for them only. This increased violence because they forced other people
with different nationalities leave from the mines and they stared to do it with numerous violent
tactics. As for the native people of California, it was the cruelest time because 120 thousand
Native were the victims of homicide. They also Americans died of disease and starvation during
this gold rush.
8 Madley, Benjamin. "An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian
Catastrophe." (2017).

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References:
Anderson, Gary Clayton, and Laura Lee Anderson, eds. The Army Surveys of Gold Rush
California: Reports of Topographical Engineers, 1849–1851. University of Oklahoma Press,
2015.
Clark, Thomas D., ed. Gold Rush Diary: Being the Journal of Elisha Douglas Perkins on the
Overland Trail in the Spring and Summer of 1849. University Press of Kentucky, 2015.
Cramer, Lorinda. "Making a Home in Gold-rush Victoria: Plain Sewing and the Genteel
Woman." Australian Historical Studies 48.2 (2017): 213-226.
Holliday, James S. The world rushed in: The California gold rush experience. University of
Oklahoma Press, 2015.
Kanazawa, Mark. Golden rules: The origins of California water law in the gold rush. University
of Chicago Press, 2015.
Krakow, Jere L. "Jersey Gold: The Newark Overland Company’s Trek to California, 1849. By
Margaret Casterline Bowen and Gwendolyn Joslin Hiles." (2018): 220-220.
Madley, Benjamin. "An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian
Catastrophe." (2017).
McGuinness, Aims. Path of empire: Panama and the California gold rush. Cornell University
Press, 2016.