Rush for Rush for California California GoldGold

Mexican gov’t feared American Mexican gov’t feared American immigration due to Texasimmigration due to Texas John Sutter John Sutter

Persuaded the govt. to grant him 50,000 Persuaded the govt. to grant him 50,000 acres inacres in the unsettled Sacramento Valley the unsettled Sacramento Valley CaliforniaCalifornia

In 1848, In 1848, James MarshallJames Marshall, a , a carpenter, was building a carpenter, was building a sawmill near for Sutter & sawmill near for Sutter & found found gold gold in the American river

Thousands of gold seekers Thousands of gold seekers rushed to California to get richrushed to California to get rich The The forty-ninersforty-niners set out to make set out to make

fortunes in goldfortunes in gold

RoutesRoutes to Fortuneto Fortune SailSail 18,000 miles around around

South AmericaSouth America Suffer from storms,

seasickness, & spoiled food

Sail to Panama, cross overland (risk catching deadly disease), & then sail sail to CAto CA

Travel across North across North AmericaAmerica Brave rivers, mountains, &

other hardships on trail

100,000 people 100,000 people came came in 1849in 1849 From U.S., Europe, From U.S., Europe,

Asia, Mexico, Asia, Mexico, CanadaCanada, etc.

Most Americans were white Some Native Native

Americans, free Americans, free blacks, Chinese blacks, Chinese immigrants, & immigrants, & slaves slaves came as well

Conflict & ChangeConflict & Change Native Americans Native Americans

& foreigners & foreigners forced outforced out Poor treatment ToTo reduce reduce

competitioncompetition

Rush ended by 1852 About 250,000 About 250,000

people flooded people flooded into Californiainto California

IMPACTIMPACT OF THE GOLD RUSH The economy boomed Population numbers soared Chinese miners left gold fields & started Chinese miners left gold fields & started

business business Californios were ruined financially & socially

In many cases, Americans seized their property Native American population plummetedNative American population plummeted

From 150,000 to nearly 58,000 by 1870 CaliforniaCalifornia applied for statehood

1850 – admitted as a free state Unbalanced the power in Congress

U.S. Expansion: 1846 - 18531846 - 1853

CAUSECAUSE EFFECTEFFECTWestward trailsWestward trails move thousands of people to new territories

Oregon Territory Oregon Territory acquired by the United States

Austin and others colonize Texascolonize TexasTexas RevolutionTexas Revolution

United States annexes Texasannexes TexasU.S. – Mexican WarU.S. – Mexican War

Mexican CessionMexican Cession acquired by the United States

United States expands from expands from “sea to seasea to sea”

Thousands of gold seekersgold seekers rush to California

CaliforniaCalifornia becomes aa free free statestate

Transcontinental railroadTranscontinental railroad route needed Gadsden PurchaseGadsden Purchase

Territorial Growth to 1853Territorial Growth to 1853