Abstract In this essay, the writer discusses the similarities between the CaliforniaGoldRush and the GoldRush in South Africa. The paper focuses on the racial tensions that arose because of these GoldRush periods in both countries.
From the Paper "The California gold rush began with the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill on the American River in northern California. When word reached San Francisco, thousands from that city and other parts of California flocked to the region. Much of the early gold rush involved surface diggings and shallow streams and operated at a low technological level. The gold was gathered in a pan full of sand and grave land washed out with water leaving the heavier gold in the ... "
Tags:goldrush, california, south africa, gold, economy, history, conflict
Abstract This paper explores the impact of the Californian GoldRush on the history of the state of California. This paper discusses the events leading up to this event, the history of the event and how the GoldRush totally transformed the face of California.
From the Paper "The California Gold Rush was one of the single most important events in the history of that state. It quite literally changed the face of the region, not only physically and environmentally but also demographically and politically. For the Californians who had settled there before the Gold Rush, the events of the mid to late nineteenth century would utterly transform their world. The newcomers who arrived in search of their fortunes consumed and forever changed the fate of that state to be. Had gold never been discovered in California, modern California would be entirely unrecognizable to our modern eyes. The Gold Rush began in California in 1848 when James Marshall, a sawmill operator about forty-five miles northeast of Sacramento, came across what he thought might be gold."
Abstract This paper explains that the people who came during the CaliforniaGoldRush ultimately revolutionized the West by lighting the spark of consumerism and greed, seeking their fortune, and the so-called "American Dream". The paper points out that, just as the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 stimulated intrigue about what was in the Ohio Valley, the annexation of Texas and the acquisition of Oregon spurred intrigue and excitement and spawned the mass movement Westward. The paper relates that the confirmation of gold discovery in California in May, 1849, by President Polk, had great influence over the American public and created a mass hysteria to seek gold in California.
From the Paper "California, which was once a colony of Spain and then a part of Mexico, remained virtually untouched. When the Spanish occupied this area, they did little to improve the area. The population consisted of few; however, the few that were in the most northern region of Mexico had a distinct class relation hierarchy. Government officials were made up of Spanish aristocracy, who intermarried with natives. The Spanish military also intermarried with the natives, missionaries and convicts. Spain had discouraged foreign immigration into California. Her object was neither to attract settlers nor to develop the country; the object of California was to retain political control and make it a possible asylum for Spanish people. The few settlers that came before 1822 were mainly of substantial character, possessing a real interest in the country and an intention of permanent settlement. Most of them became naturalized, married Spanish women, acquired property and became trusted citizens."
Abstract In this article, the writer maintains that all of the events of westward expansion and manifest destiny are very important, but the most significant event which caused westward expansion in the late 1840s was the CaliforniaGoldRush. The writer focuses on the women that were involved in the goldrush and what their actual roles were. The writer notes that this is very important because most people do not realize how women like Louise Amelia Clappe and others like her affected the goldrush and what took place at that time in history. The writer concludes that the extreme greed that over took many people, the violence and tragedy that broke out over the desire for wealth, and the destruction of the native people of California made the Californiagoldrush one of the most tumultuous times in history.
From the Paper "The most famous tales of the California Gold Rush say that in January of 1848, James Marshall, who was an employee of John Sutter, was building a sawmill. This incomplete mill was what would later become known as Sutter's Mill, and it is where the first piece of gold that consequently started the California Gold Rush was found. Sutter received the property from the Mexican government, as he talked them into granting him 48,000 acres in the Sacramento Valley. Unfortunately, the land that the Mexican government granted to Sutter was already owned by Indians who had been in that area a great deal longer than any Mexican or American settlers. The ranch that Sutter lived on was run and staffed almost entirely by Indians. There is some discrepancy about whether or not Sutter treated his Indian workers well, or whether they were used more as slaves."
Abstract This paper examines the time surrounding the Californiagoldrush. The goldrush made rich and powerful men out of those that were before merely ignorant and greedy. The goldrush fed the dreams of the masses and ushered in a new era of development in the west. Fortunes are being made today overnight but perhaps they will never be so accessible as they were at the time to of the goldrush when a man with no other idea than hope could make his fortune with a shovel and leather pouch.
Abstract The paper reveals that the GoldRush was a dark moment in the environmental history of the American West. The paper describes how the GoldRush resulted in significant ecosystem destruction through deforestation, sedimentation, hydraulic mining and mercury pollution. The paper looks closely at the historical facts of the GoldRush that indicate how the environment was severely damaged by the mining operations.
From the Paper "The history of the California Gold Rush is well-documented. What is less clear is the historical study of the lasting environmental impacts that the Gold Rush had on the California region. To be sure, the environmental impact of the Gold Rush would have been severe, if only taken in the context of the incredible demographic changes that took place in the early to mid nineteenth century. With that many people uprooting from eastern locales and making the trek west to make their fortune at the edge of the American frontier, the environment would have been hard-pressed to absorb the shock of that much more stress on the local ecosystems. However, even a cursory examination of contemporary historical work on the subject reveals that the environmental destruction was even more significant than that. The California Gold Rush, it would seem, resulted in a powerfully terrible environmental legacy for the state."
A brief historical review of the Californiagoldrush and the writers that came to record, illustrating the lives, times and seasons that brought hordes of people out West in search of gold.
Abstract This paper looks at the styles of the many GoldRush writers that came out west in search of writing the great American story. The writers shows that while often that didn't happen, these writers each had their own descriptive analysis of the way the goldrush affected the society.
From the Paper "I was out prospecting on the Stanislaus, tramping all day long with pick and pan and horn, and washing a hatful of dirt here and there, always expecting to make a rich strike, and never doing it. It was a lovely reason, woodsy, balmy, delicious, and had once been populous, long years before, but now the people had vanished and the charming paradise was a solitude" (Twain 14). This quote from "The Californian's Tale" shows the affect of the gold rush upon the California landscape. Once the land was charming and full of people, but now it is barren. While most people think of the gold rush era of American history as a time where miners grabbed their shovels and headed west to dig in the clean air and peaceful surroundings of the California mountains, the gold rush was anything but peaceful. Mining was difficult and miners had little affinity for the land; they only cared about excavating the land for the gold. These miners brought a carefree attitude to the west, not weighing the effects of their actions upon the California landscape. However, the miners were not alone in their actions. The "gold rush writers", the most popular of whom was Mark Twain, also brought a something-for-nothing attitude to California. He was surprisingly unconcerned about the impact of so many people on so fragile a land. The most salient of which concerned romanticizing the gold rush, exploiting the resources of the California landscape, and the destruction of the land."
Tags: authors, miners, rush, stanislaus, writers, twain, pinchot, indian
Abstract This paper looks at how the GoldRush was a frenzied surge of greed and power into a beautiful serene land that was virtually without laws. The paper further looks at how people, determined to find great wealth, stepped out of their normal lives and values and plundered the land. It also discusses how California still suffers from the effects of this pollution and devastation.
From the Paper "Although the small mining towns proved to be a source of jobs for some, there was atrocious racial prejudice on the part of westerners toward, primarily toward Native Americans and Chinese. If there happened to be Native Americans living in the area of a claim, they were quickly driven away from their homes so that a settlement could be established. Although many Indians were employed as paid labor in the mines and diggings, the "Gold Rush incited ambushes, massacres and deliberate extermination campaigns of native peoples in Calfornia" (Project Underground)."
This paper presents a book review of "Exterminate Them: Written Accounts of the Murder, Rape, and Enslavement of Native Americans during the CaliforniaGoldRush." by Clifford E. Trafzer and Joel R. Hyer. Forward by Edward Castillo.
Abstract The following book review examines the true treatment of Native Americans in California at that time of the CaliforniaGoldRush. It is a testament to the fact that folklore and tales can be embellished for many years with little accuracy. The book details and documents provable facts that should alert any future white person that it can happen, and did happen in the United States.
From the Paper "Throughout history, authors have used their works to convey emotion or a principle or moral that they felt strongly about. One of the best illustrations of this type of literary work is in, 'Exterminate Them' : Written Accounts of the Murder, Rape, and Slavery of Native Americans During the California Gold Rush, 1848-1868 ,by Clifford E. Trafzer (Editor), and Joel R. Hyer (Editor). In this work, the authors detail many of the horrors that were faced by the Native American, while the white man moved through the state of California, and industrialized it and changed it to their liking."
Abstract This essay is about the GoldRush in the United States. The author looks at the various routes miners took to arrive at the heart of the GoldRush- California. Included is a discussion of the various diseases that spread and the approximate death toll. This paper describes the hardships of the people that experienced the goldrush and shows the negative and unexpected side of those experiencing the goldrush.
From the Paper "In January 1848, a man by the name of James Marshall found gold on the American river in Coloma. It all started when John Sutter had a work crew planted on the American River at Coloma near Sacramento. John Sutter had appointed them (under the lead of James Marshall) to build a sawmill. On the cold and brisk morning of January 24, James Marshall found one of the most important discoveries known to man…Gold! At first he found just a few small pieces, which he thoroughly tested to guarantee their validity. This was a revolutionary discovery as over 300,000 people from around the world almost instantaneously migrated to California. The ulterior motive was to gain instant wealth with ease. This motive inspired the minds of many foreigners, literally reeling them into west California through numerous routes."
Abstract The paper discusses how the discovery of gold in 1848 and the subsequent influx of thousands of people into the region created the foundations and the special character of California today. The paper relates that many historians see the Californian goldrush as having an extensive national as well as regional influence.
Outline:
Introduction
A Brief Overview
The Effect on the Development Growth of California Conclusion
From the Paper "The discovery of gold in Caliornia was an event that changed the region and which had a profound impact on the country as a whole. This historical event is even described as "epoch-making. ( Color in the River) The effects of this event had a far-reaching impact on the social structure of the region and also on economic, political, judicial aspects, as well as the cultural development of California. The influx of thousands of people into California in search of gold "...transformed not only the economic history of California, but much of its social, cultural, and political history as well." ( Color in the River)"
Abstract This paper examines how the Chinese immigrants arrived in San Joaquin Valley, California, mainly because of the CaliforniaGoldRush, and how the San Joaquin Valley, in particular, was rich in gold deposits. It looks at the history of discrimination against the Chinese-Americans, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. It also explores the cultural contributions of the Chinese-Americans and how they incorporated their own traditions in their new life style, thus giving rise to a unique culture.
From the Paper "Not to be left behind, they eagerly participated in all kinds of events and activities, be it political, social or religious. A Chinese American community was established. Taoism was the chief religion which they practiced and religious meetings were held regularly. When President Zachary Taylor died, the Chinese immigrants actively led and participated in his funeral procession. When California was allowed entry into the Union, they celebrated and the 1952 Fourth of July Parade in San Francisco comprised a great number of prominent members of the Chinese American community."
Abstract This paper compares the two periods of rule which helped shape California's unique cultural identity. The writer explains that aspects about both of the Mexican and American periods should be looked at when comparing the Mexican and early American periods in Californian history. These aspects include Manifest Destiny, Mission and Rancho culture, the GoldRush, the railroad boom and the oil boom.
From the Paper "Missions were an essential part of California's history. Before Mexican independence, the Franciscan missions endeavored to convert the native peoples to Christianity. However, the missions were considered temporary, as once the Native Americans were culturally assimilated, the work of the Church would be finished. Therefore, the aim of the missions was to eventually redistribute the lands and even offer some of them to converted Native peoples. This process of Mission redistribution was called secularization. After Mexican independence, the push to secularize all missions was intensified. Unfortunately, the Native people were not given the land or resources they were promised. Although Native peoples were equally as persecuted under American rule, there is no similarity between the Missions in Mexican California with later American periods of Californian history. Under American rule, California was an entirely secular state and by then, the missions had all been secularized."
Abstract This paper explores westward expansion from the standpoints of the philosophy and motivations of the settlers and the indigenous populations. It also looks at the cultural influences the settlers brought with them, the logistics of the expansion and three events that propelled the movement: the War with Mexico, the Louisiana Purchase and the CaliforniaGoldRush.
From the Paper "The Indian tribes that occupied the new territories were varied in their ways of life, depending upon the ecology of the area in which they lived. Great Plains Indians like the Sioux were nomadic, following the buffalo herds they hunted. The Pacific Northwest was occupied by the Nez Perce, Walla Walla and Yakama peoples who lived in villages, hunted bear, moose, elk and deer. The Navajo, Pueble and Apache peoples established agrarian societies in the harsh climates of the Southwest desert regions. The Iroquois peoples occupied the Eastern Woodlands of the Northeast, in agricultural villages. The Five Nations of what would become Oklahoma had an economy that rested on slave labor of other "people of color." However, it was the introduction of diseases, alcohol, firearms and the violation of treaties made with the Indians that destroyed their civilizations."
Abstract A look at the events that lead to the goldrush in Australia during the 1850's. The author looks at the end of Australia's depression, Australian labor and new mining techniques and skills as prospective contributors. The author also examines the effects of the GoldRush for Australia.
From the Paper "Payable gold was discovered in Australia due to several factors. The combination of prospecting expertise and new, efficient methods of extraction being applied together with the necessary publicity at a time when gold had the world's attention and Australia was coming out of a depression that had crippled its wool staple provided the impetus for the gold rushes of 1851.Gold had been discovered in quantity as early as 1829 and it has been argued that Governor Gipps and other colonial authorities had prevented the rise of gold mining prior to 1851. Certainly the idea of a British prisoner being transported to a land of gold hardly seems like punishment. However, the more likely cause for earlier discoveries not precipitating gold rushes was the ancient British law that held all precious metals mined to be the property of the Crown. Richard Cotter has suggested that the exodus of Australian labor to the California fields and the depression of the 1840s modified official attitudes to gold. Cotter believes that prior to Edward Hammond Hargraves? efforts gold had been easier to find than to exploit. New mining techniques and prospecting skills along with the mineral search spurred by the depression of the 1840s proved crucial according to Cotter."
