The California Gold Rush

The California Gold Rush

Learners can:

• identify the California Gold Rush as a significant event in American history

• identify reasons why people from various backgrounds were drawn to California during the gold rush

• analyze the causes and effects of the California Gold Rush

people in search of gold

prospectors

​a method used to separate gold from soil or gravel by swirling the mixed material in a pan with water

​​panning

​Vocabulary

​Video: Edio page 2

California

Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821. Fewer than 4,000 people lived in California, part of Mexico at the time, not counting the Native American population.

Many Americans were not attracted to settling in California at the time because if you wanted to own land, you had to ask permission from Mexico City. However, that all changed in the mid-1800s.

In 1839, one European, John Sutter, arrived in California from Switzerland.

Sutter became a Mexican citizen and settled on a 50,000-acre ranch in northern California.

He named his ranch “New Helvetia.”

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John Sutter

​John Sutter became a Mexican citizen and settled in California.

​Video: Edio page 4

Draw

What was Sutter's Fort used for?

The Gold Rush

James Marshall played an important role in the gold rush because he was the first person to find gold at Sutter's Mill.

The secret about the gold quickly got out! Prospectors, or people in search of gold, began rushing to California hoping to get rich.

Several of the first prospectors found gold and became rich. Most of the people who arrived later did not find gold or riches.

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Draw

When did the California Gold Rush officially begin?

​In 1849 alone, about 90,000 people arrived in California in search of gold. These people were called the Forty-Niners because they arrived in 1849.

The original miners panned for gold.

Panning was a method used to separate gold from soil or gravel by swirling the mixed material in a pan with water.

Miners would place gravel and water into a pan and shake it back and forth.

Gold is heavy, so it would settle into the bottom of the pan.

Prospectors would work 12- to 16-hour days, six days a week.

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​Panning For Gold

As gold was discovered in different areas, miners would move in and set up camp. These camps sometimes grew rapidly into towns, known as boomtowns.

San Francisco was a boomtown during the California Gold Rush. Its population went from around 1,000 people when gold was first discovered to around 30,000 within a few years.

Most boomtowns did not last, but San Francisco still exists today.

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Boomtowns

Boomtowns were not just homes for miners.

Businesses selling supplies also followed the gold. Miners needed supplies such as picks, pans, and shovels to dig for gold. They also needed everyday items like food, clothing, and bedding.

Often business owners sold these supplies at high prices because the miners were willing to pay the high prices.

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​Businesses

As the gold ran out in some areas, people moved on to other places in search of gold.

Many boomtowns were often abandoned and became quiet and empty. These became known as ghost towns.

Bodie, California was a boomtown that became a ghost town and later became a popular tourist attraction.

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Ghost Towns

​Settlement in California continued and by the end of the 1850s California's population had grown to 380,000.

San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego grew into large cities.

The Native American population in California was greatly reduced by the arrival of others.

The gold rush also had effects on the environment, including the loss of many forests, soil erosion, and water pollution.

California's nickname is still “The Golden State," named after the gold rush.

​Effects of the Gold Rush

The California Gold Rush was an important event in the history of the United States because it brought people from all over the world to California.

Some were looking to become rich from gold, and others were looking to start new businesses and make money by selling items to the miners.

This made California grow quickly and become a state faster. It also brought many different cultures to California.

The California Gold Rush drew many people West with the promise of riches. Many of them left their families behind in the East.

The Pony Express was a way to quickly send mail back and forth between the East and the West.

​The Pony Express

​The Pony Express was established in 1860.

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The Pony Express only operated for a year and a half.

Many people used it to send mail, but the price was very high. Another issue included riders being attacked along the way by Native Americans.

In addition, telegraph lines connecting Nebraska and California were finished in 1861, so people began using telegraph lines to communicate.

Draw

What were two reasons people from all over the world came to California during the 1850s?

​Describe two effects that the California Gold Rush had on the state of California.

You learned that James Marshall was the first person to spot gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848.

You also learned that California became a popular state in the 1850s due to the California Gold Rush.

Finally, you learned that a new mail delivery system was created during that time called the Pony Express.

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Wrap Up