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The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) began when James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill, sparking a global migration of prospectors seeking fortune. News spread quickly after President Polk confirmed the discovery, enticing people from everywhere, including Oregon, Europe, and China. Miners formed groups to "stake a claim" on land, often leading to disputes in a lawless environment. While some struck it rich with nuggets, many left disappointed, reflecting the volatile and unpredictable nature of the gold rush era, which recovered billions in gold.
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California Gold Rush1848-1855 By YaseminSonel
A Quick Backround • James Marshall and several workers found gold while working in a ditch near Sutter’s mill • James Marshall agreed to keep quiet about his findings but news got out anyway • James Polk confirmed the rumors of gold being found in his farewell address to congress • The gold was found in northern California James Marshall found the gold in Coloma, Calirornia
Where • The gold was found at first on land such as in ditches but later found in rivers and streams causing prospectors to migrate north • People came from all around the world to find gold • They came from Oregeon, sandwich islands, and later Europe, Eastern America, Latin America, Australia, and China.
“Staking a Claim” • Many miners would band together to find gold agreeing to share their findings • When miners found somewhere they wanted to prospect they would “stake a claim” or claim the entire area for themselves • Since California was a new part of the U.S courts weren’t really established so it grew very lawless • “staking a claim” could sometimes result in very bad arguments
Money • Since it was lawless banks weren’t very balanced either • A man could find gold and be rich one day and be heavily in debt the next • Many miners went back home with little more then they had to begin with • Tens and billions of today’s dollars of gold was recovered in the California Gold Rush • A man once found two-pounds of gold after prospecting for 15 minutes • The gold was found in small pieces called nuggets
The End • Thank you for listening