What was the Gold Rush?
The California Gold Rush began in 1848 when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill. About 300,000 people rushed to California hoping to get rich, transforming the region.
On January 24, 1848, James Marshall found gold flakes while building a sawmill for John Sutter near Coloma, California. News spread quickly, and by 1849, people from across the United States and around the world, including China, Mexico, Chile and Europe, were arriving. These fortune seekers were nicknamed forty-niners.
Most miners earned little, but many merchants who sold supplies, food and tools became wealthy. San Francisco grew from a small settlement of about 1,000 people to a city of tens of thousands within a few years. California became a US state in 1850, much faster than expected.
The darker side
The Gold Rush devastated California's Native American population, which fell sharply because of violence, disease and loss of land. Mining also damaged rivers and forests. Other gold rushes followed in Australia, Canada's Klondike, South Africa and Alaska.
Did You Know?
The San Francisco 49ers football team is named after the gold seekers of 1849.