| American history is a deeply woven story of new | | | | the massive migration brought settlers to the |
| discoveries, seemingly endless frontiers and | | | | small town. The demand for goods brought |
| dogged perseverance. Stories of events and | | | | traders to port in San Francisco, with countless |
| movements that shaped our world and helped | | | | crews abandoning ship to start their own search |
| build our country can be heard from coast to | | | | for wealth in the mountains of California. Similar |
| coast and everywhere in between: the Industrial | | | | situations arose all over California, especially in |
| Revolution that sprouted in the northeast and | | | | northern California where gold reserves where |
| moved outward, tales of revolution and | | | | greater and much easier to reach. |
| martyrdom in the South. However, it is to the | | | | Much of our view on the "Wild West" came about |
| west that we find one the most colorful and truly | | | | as a result of the gold rush of 1849. Being so far |
| American sagas of sacrifice and adventure. The | | | | removed from the seat of government on the |
| California gold rush holds a special place in history | | | | east coast, California was a notoriously lawless |
| as being responsible for the some of the most | | | | frontier. Since California was technically still under |
| widespread migration from across the country. | | | | Mexican control until the end of the |
| The gold rush began in 1848 when James Marshall | | | | Mexican-American War, establishing law and |
| first discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, | | | | government was particularly challenging. The lack |
| California. Rumors of the find quickly spread, and | | | | of a local government made it open season for |
| within months, the search was on. The earliest | | | | claiming property, and taxes in the West were |
| treasure seekers would become known as the | | | | non-existent. |
| "49ers", dubbed so for the influx of people drawn | | | | The gold rush is responsible not only for a cultural |
| to the hunt in 1849. These first 49ers were made | | | | surge in on the west coast, but also for a |
| up, for the most part, of local farmers and | | | | dramatic increase in the development of |
| agriculturalists, Native Americans and Hispanic | | | | technology necessary to mine the gold locked |
| natives. This local atmosphere didn't last long, | | | | away in the mountains. Methods varied greatly, |
| however, once President Taft announced the find | | | | from simple panning to dredging and advanced |
| in an address to congress. | | | | hydraulic mining. Prospectors were faced with new |
| Hundreds of thousands of men, women and | | | | challenges as the amount of easily accessible gold |
| children flocked to the hills of California is search | | | | began to dry up. New methods had to be |
| of the precious metal. Many of the pioneers faced | | | | developed to bring the gold up from deep within |
| a dangerous journey by sea, in hopes of traveling | | | | the hills. |
| faster than their counterpart crossing land. The | | | | The gold rush brought a new culture and new |
| ocean voyage around the tip of South America | | | | opportunities to what was considered the |
| was arduous, and many did not survive to seek | | | | American frontier. Hardship and sacrifice were as |
| their fortunes. The overland voyage faced its | | | | likely to be found in the hills of California has gold, |
| own hardships, with cholera and typhoid fever | | | | but hundreds of thousands still sought the |
| claiming many travelers. | | | | precious metal, in the hopes of finding a better |
| The city of San Francisco owes its livelihood to | | | | life. |
| the gold rush. Once a tiny, insignificant waypoint, | | | | |