the california gold rush chapter 13, section 4 (p )
TRANSCRIPT
The California Gold RushChapter 13, Section 4 (p. 439-443)
Forty-Niners People who went to California to find gold Began in 1849 Mostly men
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A Discovery Changes California
Before 1849 Native Americans Californios – settlers of Spanish or Mexican
descent Mostly cattle ranchers
The Rush for Gold One month before the Mexican Cession
became part of the USA “My eye was caught be a glimpse of
something shining….It made my heart thump for I felt certain it was gold.” ~James Marshall, 1st discoverer
Sparked one of the greatest migrations in US history
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The Rush for Gold, cont.
Travel Options Sail 18,000 miles around South America and
up the Pacific Coast Storms, Seasickness, Spoiled Food
Sail to Panama, cross overland, and sail to California Tropical disease in Panama
Travel the trails across North America Rivers, prairies, mountains, hardships
The Gold Seekers 2/3 American
Mexican, European, South American, Australian, Chinese
Chinese miners focused on “played-out” sites Mined the more difficult-to-find gold
Mining Camps Exhaustion, poor food, disease High prices for supplies
Impact – Opportunities and Turmoil
Admitted as a free state in 1850 African Americans could not vote
Californios Few, if any, legal rights Lost land
Native Americans and Foreigners
Native Americans Thousands died from disease and killed by
settlers Miners’ destruction of the environment
affected Native Americans’ survival Foreigners
Often forced out by Americans to reduce competition
Foreign Miners Tax $20 per month Many (Chinese) opened businesses in
response
Effects of Statehood Economic
San Francisco grew to become a center of banking, manufacturing, shipping, and trade
Sacramento became the center of an important farming region
Government California tipped the balance of slave and free
states in the USA
Dates Events Effects
1820-1840 •Westward trails move 1000s to new territories•Austin and others colonize Texas•Texans revolt against Mexico
•Native Americans are displaced•Earlier settlers are pushed aside•Republic of Texas is proclaimed
1841-1848 •Texas annexed as a slave state•Mexican Cession
•War with Mexico•Almost 50% of Mexican territory is acquired by the United States
1849-1853 •California Gold Rush•U.S. transcontinental railroad planned
•California enters Union as a free state•Gadsden Purchase completes expansion of the United States