Exploring the History of the Gold Rush: Economic, Social Impact

This essay explores the history of the California Gold Rush, beginning with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1849 and its transformative effects on the region and the United States. It discusses the influx of gold seekers from around the world, the rapid economic progression, and the development of infrastructure and public services that led to California's statehood. The essay highlights the economic boom experienced by transport owners and merchants, the social improvements such as new railway tracks and roads, and the shift in agricultural practices. It also addresses the negative environmental impacts of hydraulic mining, including deforestation, river degradation, and agricultural issues, emphasizing the long-term consequences despite later legal restrictions. The essay concludes by noting that the Gold Rush brought instant dynamism to California's political, societal, and environmental sectors, contributing to both contemporary issues and developments.

Running head: HISTORY OF GOLD RUSH
History of Gold Rush
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1HISTORY OF GOLD RUSH
The following essay aims to analyse various facts related to historic Gold Rush and
elaborate the impact of it. After the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, Californian Gold Rush
began in 1849 and literally transformed the region radically along with the history of United
States. Gold seekers from around the world; from Australia, Asia, Latin America and Europe
went to California despite of facing trouble while their journey by ship and arrived at the
foothills of Nevada for their thirst for gold and ended up by establishing boomtowns. Apart
from rapid economic progression, development of transport, accommodation and public
services; this historic event led California to be recognised as a different state having
individual legislation. Most surprisingly, the population doubled itself as its highest number
as migrants targeted the region for thirst of gold as well as in search of quality lifestyle. It
must be remembered that the incident took place against the backdrop of Industrial
Revolution, therefore people at that point of time were desperate to grab something huge for
sustaining their life. Several non-sophisticated ways were invented for recovery and become
an occupant of Gold mine. Although, mine owners and miners could not manage to gain
much profit out of the whole event yet transport owners and merchants through marketing
tactics created instant fortune for them. The purpose of this essay is to shed light over the
history of Gold Rush and its positive and negative impacts over society, economy and
degrading environmental condition of contemporary California.
Gold seekers of that time used to be called by a nick name “Forty-niners”. Although,
people did not know any scientific process to recover Gold at initial stage, yet with the
progression of time, simple techniques like panning become popular to recover gold from
streams and riverbeds. Later, several tools and skills were developed to make the entire
process less complicated. After the discovery of Gold from American River, New York
Herald was the first esteemed newspaper to cover the entire incident and circulate the news of
Gold Rush. It attracted numerous immigrants to invade California from foreign lands in

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search of gold who used to be known as “Forty-niners”. Such conflict and arrival of
immigrants had substantial impact over the economy, society and environment as well. The
gold rush in California has historic impact over the domestic economy and migration for
earning livelihood. The information has been gathered regarding the migration delivers some
shocking facts and figures like more than 1000,000 people migrated to Californian territory
within 20 months of that discovery and 95% of them were male. However, before 1849,
census suggested the presence of only 7000 immigrant across the same region. It resulted in a
massive increase in population which literally doubled the number of people living in
California.
As mentioned, neither miners nor owners experienced the fortune but merchants had
experienced great deal of profit out of all these incidents. Starting from the mining
equipment, safety products, processing fee and products the price increased with the
discovery of gold. With the prosperity of gold business, other industry jobs raised such as, bar
maids, servers and brothel workers and most of them were female. As a result, as suppoeted
by Silvola (2016), US received a noticeable shift in domestic economy with the commercial
establishment of gold business and emergence of several new industries. Increased population
helped to grow the clothing and leather industry too. Along with that, significant growth has
been identified in wholesale and retail business based on the ever increasing population and
their varied demands. As described in Petrova and Marinova (2013), apart from the social
improvements, the region secured a place in Union as a separate state by 1850. Politicians
also found a new place with a potential of being future politics. Social improvements like
establishment of new railway tracks, roads and bridges were noticeable among various
reformation. This not only increased communication but also higher the chances of invasion
and encouraged cross cultural business relationship.

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Apart from rapid changes in fields of politics, economy and environment there were
people who did not find any luck in the trend of gold business, rather they exploited the
agriculture friendly environment for cultivating fruits and vegetables. Later, European shifted
their interest to culture vineyards for satisfying the demand of wine across the region. The
supply chain was wide enough to export the product locally and even internationally. As a
results, foreign investors showed interest to invest money and labour that reflected positively
to their domestic economy highly. Following the study of Prno (2013), all these positive
economic influence, encouraged financial services which resulted in inauguration of eminent
banking sectors.
Although, Gold rush has several positive effects over country’s economy yet it left
disturbing impact over the local environment. With the invention of advanced mining
machinery and hydraulic operations, it is true that, the production increased and
simultaneously factories and flour mills established. However, most of the problems are
related to how gold is being recovered and processed throughout the years with the help of
technology which is not environment friendly at all. During 1950’s procedure of hydraulic
mining became popular and due to lesser environmental knowledge people took least interest
to the issues with damage of natural resources. English Dam in country of Nevada was
established which changed the course of rivers only for seamless water supply to mining
areas of California during summer. According to Mann and Gleick (2015), California faced
extreme environmental consequences to. Further, as discussed in Barnard et al. (2013), it was
the major cause of agricultural issues across central valley due to removal of sediments by
hydraulic forces. The establishment of dam created serious threat to food supply and both the
mining and farming interest were at stake due to this artificial arrangement of irrigation.
Cultivation of staple crops was shifted from east to western coasts due to such issues as well.
Later in 1884, as stated in Lawrence and Davies (2015), the concept of Hydraulic mining was

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demolished by law yet the environmental issues were prominent by then. As supported by the
previously mentioned study, Barnard et al. (2013), removed or washed sediments clogged
rivers partially, potential mining areas were dig badly in search of gold. In order to resolve
the requirement of wood such as, for fuel the broilers and structuring canal system, California
forests experienced deforestation for building logging industry. As supported by Johnson
(2018), the historic sculptures, paintings, lithographs are created based on such incidents
which supported the legend of those events. Journalists across the world framed the time and
tried to figure out public view and actual scene of diggings, mining operations and
deforestation to pursuit the search of gold at that point of time. As per the study of Morris and
Owley (2014), the trend of using Renewable energy more to the procedure can mitigate the
existing issues can make significant changes to the environment.
It can be stated that after the Gold rush California received an instant dynamism in
every aspect including political, societal and environmental sectors which contribute highly
to the contemporary issues and development too.

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References
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in the San Francisco Bay coastal system: an overview. Marine Geology, 345, 3-17.
Johnson, E. L. (2018). Media and Cultural Portrayals of Marginalized Groups in Gold Rush
California (Doctoral dissertation, San Diego State University).
Lawrence, S., & Davies, P. (2015). Cornish tin-streamers and the Australian gold rush:
technology transfer in alluvial mining. Post-Medieval Archaeology, 49(1), 99-113.
Mann, M. E., & Gleick, P. H. (2015). Climate change and California drought in the 21st
century. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(13), 3858-3859.
Morris, A. W., & Owley, J. (2014). Mitigating the Impacts of the Renewable Energy Gold
Rush. Minn. JL Sci. & Tech., 15, 293.
Petrova, S., & Marinova, D. (2013). Social impacts of mining: Changes within the local
social landscape. Rural Society, 22(2), 153-165.
Prno, J. (2013). An analysis of factors leading to the establishment of a social licence to
operate in the mining industry. Resources Policy, 38(4), 577-590.
Silvola, R. T. (2016). From Gold Rush to Industrialization: The Rise and Fall of Hydraulic
Mining in Northern California and the Creation of a New Society (Doctoral
dissertation, The Claremont Graduate University).