...1949 Gold Rush In 1948 the Gold Rush truly started, it was the beginning of a time of great optimism in California but it had its difficulties and challenges too. It was a time the common man had power in numbers and even people of non-American birth had the ability to make a difference. It was a time when Native Americans and the environment were shoved out of the way of industry. It was a time when even the poorest of the poor had the ability to and sometimes did strike it rich. Because of this gold rush the territory of California became a state and even through hardships California ended up better than it started. California was all around the fastest territory in the Union to become a state. The population of California was 6,500 Californios, which are people who are from spain or mexico, 700 other people that are mostly American, and roughly 150,000 Native Americans before gold was discovered. It was the 24th of January in 1848 and James Wilson Marshall was building a sawmill on the American River in California, while doing this though he noticed a flake of gold in the river. He later said "It made my heart thump, for I was certain it was gold." ("Gold Rush of 1849" 3). The gold discovery wrought immense changes upon the land and its people. After three months three-fourths of the men in the nearby city of San Francisco had cleared out and gone looking for gold (Caloma California 1).California, with its diverse population, achieved statehood in 1850, decades earlier...
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...Environmental Impact: California Gold Rush The Gold Rush of Yesterday and Its Effect on the Environment Today The California Gold Rush of 1848 produced more than a just a fever for the fortune seekers. It also produced an impact upon the environment whose effects can still be witnessed today. In 1848 the call went out across the nation, there is gold in Sutter’s Mill. As the word spread settlers and immigrants began their long treks across the plains and from far foreign lands across the seas to California. Up until the discovery of gold, much of the Californian lands had been unsettled. Between the years 1848 and 1866 some 350,000 emigrants had traveled to California in search of their fortune.1 This massive influx of such a vast number of people placed a huge burden upon the land and resulted in the dishevel of its indigenous people. As the population rapidly increased so did the need for food, water, and shelter. The requirements placed upon the land by its new population were great. The natural wildlife of the area was quickly over hunted for their meat and furs. The rivers were over fished and huge forests were clear cut to provide the demand of construction materials in support of structures and dwelling. In the lower lands trees were cut to clear land needed for farming and to provide fuel material to the mines. Natural water ways were redirected and damned to support the mining efforts. These changes only further exasperated the dwindling fish and fresh...
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...Daniel McClure California Culture October 1, 2014 California Sunshine and Noir California, the Golden State, where the sun is always shining, the waves are always crashing, and dreams are coming true. Right? Well, not exactly. It hasn’t always been sunshine and smiles for the great state of California. The state has gone through a variety of stages both economically, and politically. Throughout these phases, there have been a fair amount of themes that have helped build the foundation of California culture. Of course, there is the notion that anyone can move to California and strike it rich. This dream that is still very alive today has contributed in the past and present with massive booms in immigration into California. This popular conception is warm and welcoming, but it does not tell the entire story of California. When looking into the past and understanding how this state came to be, there is a dark and iniquitous aura that suggests that California isn’t really that enchanting, glamorous place that it is made out to be. The California Dream all started in 1848 when discovery of gold sparked a rapid movement known as the California Gold Rush. Word quickly spread when John Marshall first made his discovery in the American River. As Albert L. Hurtado explains in his paper, “Sex, Gender, Culture, and a Great Event: The California Gold Rush, ‘It is impossible to give more than rough estimates for the number of hopeful people who poured into California from 1848 to the...
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...always been intrigued with gold; dating back to the earliest civilizations and even in today's present world. Gold, in early America, was hard to come by. Most often it had to be imported from eastern countries, which of course wasn’t cheap. American needed to discover native gold; not only to save costs but also to reap the rewards that came with that find and in 1848 that dream became a reality. “James Marshall’s discovery of gold at Coloma turned out to be a seminal event in history, one of those rare moments that divide human existence into before and after” (Brands 23), the author’s message is clear from the very first page, however Brands takes an interesting approach to describe the events of the infamous gold rush....
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...Task 1 Carrie A. Nuxoll Western Governor’s University Themes in U.S. and World History/GKE1 March 10, 2013 Have you ever wondered about any great significant physical geographic factors that contributed to the development of our great United States? I must say, to do this, you must first look at the history of past great human societies trials and tribulations. For example, take a look a look at the history of Egypt and the Nile Valley civilizations. According to our course readings, Keita (2007) feels these ancient civilizations “were defined by the rich alluvial soils that annual floods deposited along the Nile banks and in the delta and the flood plains”. These annual floods gave rise to the development of these early civilizations by cultivating ingenuity, such as a rudimentary calendar, in which these civilizations could plan their years around cultivating the rich fertile land, and in turn, produced goods for these societies to make use of. This lead to the immigration of other societies to the area in order to flourish. With these immigrants came the process of diffusion. According to a PowerPoint created by our readings, diffusion can be defined as a geographic way of describing the way things spread [ (R. Whiting, 2014) ]. As course mentor Robert Whiting, of General Education Social Science states in his PowerPoint presentation, almost anything people think, make, or do can be diffused to another society and that people often change or adapt things to their...
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...Mexican-American war, we are now going to cover the Gold Rush an event that dramatically transformed the future of California. Albeit, the California Gold Rush has been introduced to all of you at some point in your education, most students still are unaware of the complexity and magnitude of this time in California history. The Gold Rush began shortly after California became US territory and sparked mass migration into California from all over the world. The culmination of these events changed the way of life for the various ethnic groups present during the Gold Rush. Now that I have given you all a brief introduction to California Gold Rush, we will now dive into the inner details of this historical period in California. The Gold Rush began when James Wilson Marshall found flakes of gold in the American river near his ranch while he was working for John Sutter. Once Capt. Sutter and Marshall confirmed his finding were in fact gold and in abundance along the...
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...important events in American history is the California Gold Rush which had changed the different races that lived there and changed the way ‘White Americans’ saw foreign people. The gold rush of 1849 was in Sacramento Valley, California. James W. Marshall found flakes of gold when he was trying to build a water-powered sawmill, he was the first one to go there and he got most of the gold. One newspaper was reporting that large quantities of gold were being turned up at Sutter’s Mill some of the people came to california by boat all the way from Chile, Mexico, and China everyone tried to get their share of it. Miners extracted more than 750,000 pounds of gold during the rush. A total of $2 billion worth of gold was extracted from the area during the Gold Rush. A lot of people put down their life savings and made the journey all the way to California. Just days after the great discovery they found out that the treaty of Guadalupe was signed and ending the Mexican- American war. When the war with Mexico ended the goldfields were lawless so...
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...2013). The implementation of such a system to utilize water more effectively and aid in the control of flooding, helped to decrease the need for farmers thereby allowing the people to cultivate and pursue other occupations. In summation, the climate though challenging was the reality of the Mesopotamian society and this geographic factor empowered their determination to acclimate thus, assisting in the development of a thriving and surviving community. B. The Chariot can be noted as an example of both hierarchical and expansion diffusion between early human societies. The use of the Chariot in warfare was first noted in 1700BC by the Hyksos though it is written that it originated Mesopotamia or in Indo-Iranian (An introduction to the history and culture of Pharaonic Egypt, 2000). The Hyksos invaded the Egyptians using the chariots and horses and were able to overthrow their military forces. The Egyptians gradually began to realize their potential to dominate warfare with the use of the chariot. Egyptians expanded and created large armies and the chariots were manned by a driver and a fighter. Additionally, this invention was transmitted and replicated throughout China, the Middle East, and India where the chiefs and pharaohs used the chariot as it master weapons. Illustrations...
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...Themes in U.S. and World History I believe that a significant geographic factor that contributed to the development of Egypt was the Nile River. The Nile played an integral role in shaping the settlement, culture, geography, and prosperity of Egypt's people. The Nile River served many purposes for the Ancient Egyptians. They fished, washed and collected water for irrigation and drinking. “It has a length of about 4,132 miles and drains an area estimated at 1,293,000 square miles” (Magdi M. El-Kammash, 2013). It was the main highway Egyptians used for transportation and transport of goods for trade as well as linking cities together. The Nile begins to flood every June and recedes by late August leaving behind a soil rich in nutrients for cultivating crops and a precious supply of water. Due to the predictability of the Nile’s annual flood the people were able to use this natural resource to build permanent settlements in an area that was otherwise dry desert. The annual floods were also a forefront to new technologies such as the calendar. The agricultural advances, new technologies, as well as ease of access it provided, attracted immigrants and travelers who brought with them goods and ideas that would help shape Egypt’s culture. The process of diffusion in early human societies can simply be stated as the replication of an activity or belief from one geographic in a different region. An example of diffusion is present in a very popular beverage available...
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...In 1849, John Sutter struck gold at his mill in Sacramento, California, beginning one of the most pivotal events in United States History. During the next few years, hundreds of thousands of Americans pioneered out west hoping to become prosperous, and strike it rich. Many of these men would lose all of their money, and live in poverty for the rest of their lives. A very small percentage; however, would strike it rich and never have to work again. This influx of people during the Gold Rush led to the development of a new state, but also ruined the lives of thousands and thousands of people. Almost all resources of the west coast were depreciated, and the gold was virtually gone within 2 years. The pioneers arrived to California very unprepared...
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...factors that contributed to the development or expansion of the United States is the California Gold Rush and the Irish Potato Famine. The first most significant factor was the California Gold Rush. Before gold was officially discovered in Northern California on January 24, 1848, Kelly (n.d.) states that the entire population of the California territory was around 25,000. A few years after California was admitted as the 31st state in The Union in 1850, a special census was taken and the population had grown to 223,856. Kelly (n.d.) also states that in San Francisco alone, the population was approximately 800 in 1848 to well over 50,000 at the close of 1849. Before the rush, California was a vast wild wilderness that most Americans never dreamed of visiting. There were tales of savage people and even more savage wilderness and it was widely known that lawlessness and general uncivility reigned supreme throughout the new Western Territories. These tales enthralled the general public but deterred most from doing anything but follow the stories through newspaper articles and books. But with the discovery of a gold nugget at a sawmill owned by John Sutter, all of this changed. Newspapers reported the great discovery and when U.S. President James Polk confirmed the rumors in his annual congressional address in December of 1848, the California Gold Rush was on! This rush came a time in history when people of the United States were daring to dream of a nation that provided for its...
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...U.S. & World History Themes One significant environmental factor that has contributed to the development of Egypt’s civilization is the bond between the Nile River and the Egyptian people. The Nile River provides a large amount of water. Soil is a great productivity caused by the Nile. The water levels began to rise each July and the floods reached their full height by the end of August. The flood began to recede, at the end of October, leaving deposits of silt behind (Metz, 1990). This helped flourish the land to produce an abundance of crops for food and trade. This also attracted settlers. With the cultivating success, the Egyptian society evolved rapidly. The Nile River was also the main way to transport goods, trade with outlying communities and to communicate (Hoyt, 2013). It has shaped the life of the Egyptian society. Dr. Robert Whiting describes the geographical process as a way things spread from one place to another (Whiting, PHD, 2013). Among the early human societies, tea is an important part of diffusion. Tea was discovered in China. The ideal climate in the country was perfect for harvesting the tea leaves. Tea can be traced back to 600 BC. It is believed that tea was used for herbal medicinal qualities. Tea became a popular drink during the Tang Dynasty of China (618AD) Tea then spread to Japan in the 6th century, by a priest studying in China. The tea was used for rituals for medicinal use, it is very popular beverage in today Japanese culture....
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...GKE1 Task1 Student 320979 A. One significant environmental factor in the development of the Egyptian society is the Nile River. The Nile River made it possible for the Egyptian people “to form the first nation by 3000 BCE” (The Gift of the Nile, n.d.) From its rise to its fall the Egyptian civilization depended on the Nile River. The Nile focus created a more positive point of view for Egyptian society “for it could be seen as a source of never-failing bounty to be thankfully received, rather than a menacing cause of floods” (Guisepi, n.d.). The Nile River flooded yearly when the snow melted off of the East African mountains. The violent flow of water would turn up silt, fragments of plants and soil, and deposit them along its banks. The nutrient laden silt allowed the Egyptians to plant and cultivate crops. This natural resource created a vital ecological dynamic that aloud them to build an empire around. The Nile River also provided them a way to transfer goods and connect with others. “These contacts spread certain Egyptian influences, notably in monumental architecture, to other areas” (Guisepi, n.d.). The Egyptian people used the environment along the Nile River to their benefit and not only developed the land, but their culture as well. B. The first reference to charioteers in the civilized world comes from Syria around 1800 BCE (Plubins, 2013). Over the next 400 years the advancement, “either by direct migration of steppe people or by diffusion,” (Plubins, 2013)...
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...History 2/6/15 1. The Chinese immigration increased exponentially between the 1850’s and the 1870’s. They were migrating to America at the seaports of New York Philadelphia and Boston. Some were coming through a smaller port in San Francisco. Many of the Chinese came as contract laborers to help build the transcontinental railroad. Some others came for the Gold Rush in California that started at about 1849. The migration was stopped with the Chinese Exclusion act in 1882. 2. After the annexation of parts of Mexico in the year 1848, the Mexicans already living in the U.S. became citizens. They were told that they would be able to keep their land, many of them lost it in state and federal courts. The Mexican culture in California was mistreated by the Anglo miners similar to the way the African Americans were with the Jim Crow laws. 3. The Native Americans were treated the worst during this period of advance in America. When industrialization moved to the West, America began to make treaties with the Indians to make roads and railways in their land. The Indians held up to this, but America didn’t hold up on their end of the deal. When the demand for business and the gold rush came about in the west, Americans began to move in mass numbers to the west. They then told the Indians that they would move them to smaller reservations, and still pay them money, food, etc. for compensation. Once again the Americans lied because when the demand for resources grew, the...
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...tells about her experiences during the California Gold Rush. These letters, which were published in the San Francisco magazine, "The Pioneer" in 1854 and 1855, were not only significant accounts into the lives of miners, but were also first-hand glimpses into the roles of women during this era. Clappe, who wrote under the pen name, "Dame Shirley," traveled with her physician husband to a small mining camp know as Indian Bar. Dame Shirley's accounts of events during this time shed light on women's roles during this historical period of California history. Dame Shirley, who was born to parents who, "prized education" (DuBois and Dumenil 287), attended a private school for girls. Since women were not afforded some of the same priveledges as men at this time, she was unable to attend her local college of Amherst. Nevertheless, she became an educated women. In her letters, a notible distinction can be made between the sexes, along with social classes and race. She refers to English speakers from her New England region as "Yankees," as she considered them to be "ignorant lower-class people" (DuBois and Dumenil 287). She also makes references to Indian women as being "poor creatures" (Dubois and Dumenil 287), and makes note that "[t]hough for haggardness of expression and ugliness of feature have been taken for a band of Macbethian witches......" (DuBois and Dumenil 289). Her prejudices are also made apparent to that of the the Native Indians when she describes their language...
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