how did the discovery of gold and silver in the american west change the course of american history

The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848 was an important part of Western history. The discovery led to a rush of emigrants from the East as well as a worldwide rush to California as Europeans and Chinese immigrants sought to make their fortunes in California.

Full Answer

How did gold and silver affect the development of the west?

Gold and silver led people to the West. They could create more railroads and towns with the money. How did the growth of big businesses affect the development of the West? Mining and railroads drew people to the West. It drew them because they wanted to be rich and when they heard there was gold and silver in the West, everyone came.

Where was gold first discovered in the American West?

Gold discovered at Sutter’s Creek. A millwright named James Marshall discovers gold along the banks of Sutter’s Creek in California, forever changing the course of history in the American West.

How did the discovery of gold in California affect westward expansion?

The discovery of gold in California helped to speed development of the western United States. FAITH LAPIDUS: Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION -- American history in VOA Special English. Soon after the Civil War ended in eighteen sixty-five, thousands of Americans began to move west to settle the land.

Where did the pioneers search for gold and silver in America?

They moved back toward the east, searching for gold and silver in the wild country between California and the Mississippi river. Men found gold and silver in Nevada, and then in the Idaho and Montana territories. Other gold strikes were made in the Arizona territory, in Colorado and in the Dakota territory.

How did the discovery of gold change American history?

The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the United States and abroad. The sudden influx of gold into the money supply reinvigorated the American economy; the sudden population increase allowed California to go rapidly to statehood, in the Compromise of 1850.

How did the discovery of gold and silver change the West?

Gold and Silver led to a railroad boom because more people came to the West on the railroads. What incentives did the government offer to railroad builders to extend railroad lines westward? The government offered subsides to extend railroad lines westward. one of the two leaders that led attacks to keep whites out.

How did the discovery of gold impact the American West?

The discovery of gold in 1848 by James Marshall sparked a massive wave of westward migration. The largest influx occurred in 1849, and those prospectors who sought their fortunes became known collectively as forty-niners, in reference to the year they arrived.

What was the discovery of gold that led to an increase in population on the West Coast was called?

The California Gold Rush was sparked by the discovery of gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 and was arguably one of the most significant events to shape American history during the first half of the 19th century.

How did the gold rush impact the development of the West?

The Gold Rush significantly influenced the history of California and the United States. It created a lasting impact by propelling significant industrial and agricultural development and helped shape the course of California's development by spurring its economic growth and facilitating its transition to statehood.

How did mining discoveries affect westward expansion?

What role did mining play in the development of the American West? So many prospectors and others came to Western regions to strike it rich by finding gold silver and other minerals that areas of the West increased by enough people to apply for statehood.

What happened to the Native American population as a result of the gold rush?

The gold rush of 1848 brought still more devastation. Violence, disease and loss overwhelmed the tribes. By 1870, an estimated 30,000 native people remained in the state of California, most on reservations without access to their homelands.

What happened after gold was discovered in California in 1848?

California Gold Rush, rapid influx of fortune seekers in California that began after gold was found at Sutter's Mill in early 1848 and reached its peak in 1852. According to estimates, more than 300,000 people came to the territory during the Gold Rush.

How did the discovery of gold and other minerals impact settlement of the frontier in the mid 1800s?

How did the discovery of gold and other minerals impact settlement of the frontier in the mid-1800s? It greatly increased the population, as thousands of gold-seekers traveled to the West and settled there. the outer limit of what is known or explored.

How did the California Gold Rush affect the California population quizlet?

How did the Gold Rush affect California's population? The population grew quickly and became more diverse as people came from China and other countries to find gold.

What do understand by the term of gold rush in the Northern America and how it became a curse for the native people?

This race among the Europeans is called Gold Rush. The gold rush of 1848 brought still more devastation. Violence, disease and loss overwhelmed the tribes. By 1870, an estimated 30,000 native people remained in the state of California, most on reservations without access to their homelands.

Who got rich during the Gold Rush?

Sam BrannanIt was much more common for people to become wealthy by providing the miners with over-priced food, supplies and services. Sam Brannan was the great beneficiary of this new found wealth. Prices increased rapidly and during this period his store had a turnover of $150,000 a month (almost $4 million in today's money).

Where did the gold and silver come from?

They moved back toward the east, searching for gold and silver in the wild country between California and the Mississippi river. Men found gold and silver in Nevada, and then in the Idaho and Montana territories. Other gold strikes were made in the Arizona territory, in Colorado and in the Dakota territory.

What did mining companies do to the gold?

These companies brought in mining machines that could dig out the gold from deep underground and separate it from the rock that held it. These companies needed equipment and other supplies.

What was the great empty West?

The great empty West, in time, became fully settled. The discovery of gold had already started a great movement to California. This week in our series, Robert Bostic and Leo Scully tell about the gold rush and the important part cowboys played in settling the West.

How many cattle did the cattlemen put together to walk to the railroad?

Early in eighteen sixty-six, a group of Texas cattlemen decided to try this. They put together a huge herd of more than two hundred sixty-thousand cattle and set out for Sedalia.

What did the cowboys do on a trail drive?

ROBERT BOSTIC: The cowboys worked hard on a trail drive. They had to keep the herd together day and night and protect it from bad men and Indians. They had to keep the cattle from moving too fast or running away. If they moved too fast, they would lose weight, and their owner would not get as much money for them.

What were the problems on the first cattle drive?

LEO SCULLY: There were many problems on that first cattle drive. The country was rough; grass and water sometimes hard to find. Bandits and Indians followed the herd trying to steal cattle. Farmers had put up fences in some areas, blocking the way.

How many cowboys took them up the trail?

The other cattle were put together for the long drive to Kansas. Usually, they were moved in groups of twenty-five hundred to five thousand animals. Twelve to twenty cowboys took them up the trail.

How much gold was discovered in California in 1849?

As news spread of the discovery, thousands of prospective gold miners traveled by sea or over land to San Francisco and the surrounding area; by the end of 1849, the non-native population of the California territory was some 100,000 (compared with the pre-1848 figure of less than 1,000). A total of $2 billion worth of precious metal was extracted ...

How did the California gold rush affect the environment?

New mining methods and the population boom in the wake of the California Gold Rush permanently altered the landscape of California. The technique of hydraulic mining, developed in 1853, brought enormous profits but destroyed much of the region’s landscape. Dams designed to supply water to mine sites in summer ...

How many people lived in California in 1848?

By the end of the year, the non-native population of California was estimated at 100,000, (as compared with 20,000 at the end of 1848 and around 800 in March 1848). To accommodate the needs of the ’49ers, gold mining towns had sprung up all over the region, complete with shops, saloons, brothels and other businesses seeking to make their own Gold ...

What were the effects of the California gold rush?

Effects of the California Gold Rush: Gold Fever. The ’49ers Come to California. California's Mines After the Gold Rush. Environmental Impact of the Gold Rush. Sources. The California Gold Rush was sparked by the discovery of gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 and was arguably one of the most significant events to shape American ...

What did Polk say about gold?

As Polk wrote, “The accounts of abundance of gold are of such an extraordinary character as would scarcely command belief were they not corroborated by the authentic reports of officers in the public service.”. The ’49ers Come to California.

What did the people of 1849 do?

Throughout 1849, people around the United States (mostly men) borrowed money, mortgaged their property or spent their life savings to make the arduous journey to California. In pursuit of the kind of wealth they had never dreamed of, they left their families and hometowns; in turn, women left behind took on new responsibilities such as running farms or businesses and caring for their children alone. Thousands of would-be gold miners, known as ’49ers, traveled overland across the mountains or by sea, sailing to Panama or even around Cape Horn, the southernmost point of South America.

What was the name of the treaty that ended the Mexican American War?

Days after Marshall’s discovery at Sutter’s Mill, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, ending the Mexican-American War and leaving California in the hands of the United States.

Who discovered gold in California?

The California Gold Rush. On January 8, 1848, James W. Marshall, overseeing the construction of a sawmill at Sutter’s Mill in the territory of California, literally struck gold. His discovery of trace flecks of the precious metal in the soil at the bottom of the American River sparked a massive migration of settlers and miners into California in ...

When was gold discovered in California?

The 1848 discovery of gold in the territory of California prompted 300,000 hopeful prospectors to flood into the region, altering it forever.

What year did the gold rush occur?

The Gold Rush. The 1848 discovery of gold in the territory of California prompted 300,000 hopeful prospectors to flood into the region, altering it forever.

How long did the California gold rush last?

Though the Gold Rush had a transformative effect on California’s landscape and population, it lasted for a surprisingly brief period, from 1848 to 1855.

What did the settlers do to the Native Americans?

As agriculture and ranching expanded to meet the needs of the hundreds of thousands of new settlers, white settlers' violence toward Native Americans intensified. Peter Hardeman Burnett, the first governor of California, openly declared his contempt for the native population and demanded its immediate removal or extinction. Under Burnett’s leadership, the state of California paid bounties to white settlers in exchange for Indian scalps. As a result, vigilante groups of miners, settlers, and loggers formed to track down and exterminate California’s native population, which by 1890 had been almost completely decimated.

What was the gold pan used for?

Direct link to Harriet Buchanan's post “A gold pan was used to sc...”. A gold pan was used to scoop gravel and dirt from the bottom of a stream. The dirt and gravel were lighter weight than gold, and they would swish water around in the pan, washing away the lighter elements and leaving any gold in the bottom.

What led to the establishment of taxes and laws that explicitly targeted immigrants, particularly Chinese immigrants?

As the state government of California expanded to oversee the booming population, widespread nativist (anti-immigrant ) sentiment led to the establishment of taxes and laws that explicitly targeted immigrants, particularly Chinese immigrants.

How many miners were there in California in 1849?

By spring 1849 there were 40,000 miners (the '49ers') in California. This was the start of the gold rush, which lasted from 1849 to 1856. At first almost all the miners were men, and they lived in makeshift tent-settlements, hoping to make a quick fortune. They were soon followed by shopkeepers and traders.

When did California become a state?

When the men finally gave up their hopes for gold, they moved onto the land and settled there as farmers. In 1850 California set itself up as a state of the USA, with a governor. In time, mining camps such as Virginia City became large towns. previous. 1.

What was the gold rush?

In order to understand the significance of the Gold Rush, it is important to look back at the events that led to the discovery of gold in California. One of the most important events was the Mexican-American War (1846-48). The Mexican-American War was a war of national aggression to gain territory . It followed the 1845 annexation of Texas, which Mexico regarded as its territory. In 1836 the Texian Army won the Battle of San Jacinto against Mexican forces, led by famed general Santa Anna, and the Republic of Texas declared its independence from Mexico. But Mexico had refused to acknowledge this action and warned the U.S. that if it tried to make Texas part of the U.S., Mexico would declare war. In 1845 Texas voluntarily asked to join the U.S., and became the 28th state. This action led to Mexico to declare war on the United States, starting the Mexican-American War.

What was the name of the state that was annexed by Mexico in 1845?

1845 annexation of Texas : the incorporation of the Republic of Texas into the United States of America. In 1836 the Texian Army won the Battle of San Jacinto against Mexican forces, led by famed general Santa Anna, and the Republic of Texas declared its independence from Mexico. But Mexico had refused to acknowledge this action and warned the U.S. that if it tried to make Texas part of the U.S., Mexico would declare war. In 1845 Texas voluntarily asked to join the U.S., and became the 28th state. This action led to Mexico to declare war on the United States, starting the Mexican-American War.

When was gold first discovered?

We don’t know for sure when the first human picked up a gold nugget and thought, “Hey, this is pretty cool.” However, flakes of gold have been found in Paleolithic caves dating back as far as 40,000 B.C.

How much did gold cost in the 1970s?

Since the 1970s, the price of gold has steadily increased. In 1970, gold was pegged at $35 per ounce. In August 2011, that number had risen to nearly $2000 per ounce. However, the years in between were not a smooth upward slope and gold – like any other investment – has gone through a number of ups and downs over the past few decades.

How long is a gold plated wire?

In fact, one ounce of gold can be stretched to form a wire that is 50 miles long. Gold plated copper wire sounds expensive but it only requires one ounce of gold to plate a 1,000 mile long thread of copper. Aesthetic attributes: One of the simplest reasons why gold is valuable is that it looks cool.

What was the first currency exchange ratio?

The Egyptians also produced the first known currency exchange ratio which mandated the correct ratio of gold to silver: one piece of gold is equal to two and a half parts of silver. This is also the first recorded measurement of the lower value of silver in comparison to gold.

Why is gold so expensive?

Reasons why the price of gold is high include: Scarcity: Gold is difficult to find and extract in the real world. In the late 1800s, any town with a single gold nugget was instantly transformed into a gold rush town.

Why is the San Francisco 49ers football team named after the gold rush?

California (1848): The San Francisco 49ers football team is famously named after the gold rush of 1848/49 in California. Prospectors came from across the world to San Francisco. Before 1848, only about 1,000 people lived in San Francisco. Within two years of gold being discovered in the region, the population had swelled to 25,000. There were so many recent migrants to San Francisco, in fact, that the massive San Francisco harbor was filled with empty ships. Nobody wanted to sail away from the bustling boomtown!

Why is the price of gold important?

dollar is one of the most important points of U.S. history because it helped make the United States the global superpower it is today.

Why did gold and silver lead to a railroad boom?

Gold and Silver led to a railroad boom because more people came to the West on the railroads.

How did railroads change the West?

The railroads changed the West because it was a big form of transportation and brought many people and goods there.

What were the consequences of the conflict between the Native Americans and the White Settlers?

The consequences of the conflict between the Native Americans and White Settlers are many still around today. One is many Native Americans are still on reservations today. Another is many Native Americans lost their land and also couldn't find a place to settle. Wars also broke out. Whites were killed trying to put the Native Americans in reservations. Attempts for both to Coexist failed because of broken treaties/ promises. Leading to the Native Americans being put on reservations.

Why was the buffalo important to many groups?

The Buffalo was important to many groups because the meat was protein-rich food, the horns and bones could be made into tools and tendons could be made into thread. Buffaloes were very important for people's survival. Used for food, clothing, tools, and shelter. (skins on tepees).

What agreement did the Native Americans and the U.S. government make?

An agreement between the Native americans and U.S. officials, that stated: If the Native Americans stayed in one place they would be protected by the U.S. government.

Why were the Treaties protecting Native Americans broken?

Treaties protecting native Americans were broken so that miners and railroad companies could obtain more land. Native Americans resisted the loss of land, and Wars broke out.

What did the Native Americans see the western frontier as?

The Americans viewed the western frontier as a desert that could not support crops, but could mine. Spanish Settlers and Native Americans thought of the western frontier as a home.

What were the Native Americans trading for?

At first things were not so bad the Native Americans traded with the white settlers for guns and some other supplies. Now they could hunt and travel better. Soon they were being force out of their land and home. Their food supply was dwindling and they were being poised, so there numbers were falling fast.

What immigrants came to the United States to start a new life?

Mostly Chinese but other immigrants such as Spanish, Irish, and English came over to the United States to start a new life. When the railroad started a lot of the immigrants went to work on the railroad.

Why did the boomtowns have to buy water?

Merchandise in the boomtowns were very expensive, the mines had to buy water from there because of the chance of poising of the streams. In the Boomtown several stores started come around, like a general store, hotel, dinners, and mills.

What was the mark of the Indian wars?

Wounded Knee was the mark of the Indian wars. There was a band of Sioux trying to flee but got caught and were giving up their guns. When an accidental shot rang out and the soldiers shot back.this is quoted best by a chief saying "A people's dream died there". He said this because they knew that they would never return to their land and things would never be the same.

Why did the Indians do the ghost dance?

When the Indians were forced on to reservation, they started the Ghost Dance. They believed they were speaking with the spirits o their ancestors and the buffalo. By doing this they hoped to drive out the whites and return to their land.

Why did farmers pool their money together?

Groups of farmers for pooled their money together to make large purchases.

Why are merchants important?

Merchants because they are the ones who sold the tools the miners needed. They sold items that the miners needed for high prices.