GOLD FEVERChristian Asher and Tyler Fain

Sutter’s Mill

January 24, 1848 Coloma, California The gold piece that started the Gold

Rush was discovered.

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California Acquisition

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Signed February 2, 1848 U.S. received territories of California, New

Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming and Colorado.

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Immigration

Roughly three hundred thousand persons migrated to California. Estimated length 1848-1855.

This included Chinese, Mexicans, African Americans, French, and Chileans.

By 1850 twenty-five percent of California’s population was born outside the U.S.

www.wikimedia.org

Travel Methods

Three main routes to California. The most common was through the mid-

west from the East by Wagon. Many went by ship to Panama then by

ship to San Francisco. Others sailed around the southern tip of

Argentina to California. “Coffee bad, Sugar dirty, and Bread

Wormy”

Life on the Trail

Americans in pursuit of Manifest Destiny Often travelled in large groups Suffered from disease, starvation,

dehydration shortage of animal feed, and infection

Fear of Indian Raids

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Travel routes

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Indian Oppression

150,000 native Americans called California home in 1845.

30,000 left by 1867. Native Americans had no say in Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo. Notable massacres- Old Shasta Massacre

of the Wintun, Bloody Islands Massacre, and Massacre of the clear lake Pomo.

60% died by Disease.

Indian Population shift in California

This graph shows the population of Native Americans in California from 1770-1970

(wikipedia.org)

Racial Tension

Many white Americans had never seen or met any foreign persons.

Competition for Gold, women, success Foreign Miners Tax enacted in 1850 ($20) Tax in response to increased foreign

competition (particularly Chinese) Chinese exclusion act-1882 Prohibited Chinese immigration for ten

years

Diversity

By 1870 there were over 48,000 Chinese immigrants in California

Roughly 25,000 Chinese came over in the first two years of the Gold Rush

(1848-1850) 30,000-150,000 Native Americans By 1849 over 6,000 Mexicans 50,000-60,000 Americans arrived in 1849

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Population Increase

(www.lao.ca.gov.com)

This Graph shows the population increase in California from 1850-1990

California Statehood

California accepted in to Union- September 9, 1850

31st state accepted in to Union Accepted due to Compromise of 1850 Accepted as Free state Population increase due to Gold Rush

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Women in the Gold Rush

12.2 men to each woman Women were often treated as objects Wives were highly valued commodity Defined gender roles differently Brothels and prostitutionWere common in Boomtowns.

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Life as a Miner

Often uncomfortable and dirty Most miners had little money to spend Little money they did haveOften spent on alcohol and women

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Life as a Miner

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Boomtowns

Towns would spring up and die according to Gold mines

San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angels were all boomtowns.

San Francisco population change- 1848-1,000 1849-25,000 1860-56,802 1870-149,473

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Modern California

Silicon valley located in San Francisco Head quarters of Adobe systems, Apple,

Facebook, google, and Pixar among others

Referred to as modern day “Gold Rush”

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Modern California

Modern day Gold mine Many go to Hollywood seeking success

but few obtain it Many make money and exploit those who

are trying to “stake claim” Advertised as Mecca forSuccess

(www.discoverlosangeles.com)

Reed Gold Mine

Located in Cabarrus County In 1799 a seventeen pound “yellow rock”

was found on Jon Reeds property Sold for $3.50 (weeks wages) Actual price-3,600 Later started mining operation and died a

rich man in 1846

www.reedmine.com

Norm the Miner

The mascot 49er is a term used for the prospectors who went west in 1849.

Reed Gold Mine helped contribute to “Gold Rush fever”

“Stake your claim” term for staking ones claim on mining area and land

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Works Cited

Chan, Sucheng. “A people of Exceptional Character: Ethnic Diversity, Nativism, And Racism in the

California Gold Rush.” California history 79.2 (2000): 44-85. America: History & Life. Web. 27

July 2014.

Chandonnet, Ann. Gold Rush Grub: From Turpentine Stew to Hoochinoo. Fairbanks, AK: U of

Alaska, 2005. Web.

Holliday, J. S. The World Rushed In: The California Gold Rush Experience. New York: Simon and

Scuster, 1981. Print.

continued

Holub, Joan, and Tim Tomkinson. What Was the Gold Rush? New York, NY:

Grosset & Dunlap, 2013. Web

Jackson, W. Turrentine, and Judice Boyce DeMark. “California Gold Rush

Begins.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2013): Research Starters.

Web. 24 July 2014.

Kuck, Pamela. “California or Bust.” Cobblestone 18.9 (1997):12

MasterFILE Complete. Web. 27 July 2014.

Continued

Norton, Jack. “If the Truth be Told: Revising California History as a

Moral Objective.” American Behavioral Scientist 58.1 (2014):83-

96, Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 July 2014.

Teitelbaum, Michael, and Robert Asher. Chinese Immigrants. New

York: Facts On File, 2005. Print.

"The Gold Rush's Effect On The Indians." The Gold Rush's Effect On

The Indians. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2014