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The Mormons, a religious group founded by Joseph Smith, faced persecution in the East, leading to their 1847 migration to Utah. Under Brigham Young, they settled by the Great Salt Lake, thriving in the desert through innovative irrigation, despite taking Native land. Concurrently, the California Gold Rush ignited in 1849, drawing over 80,000 prospectors, known as Forty-niners. As San Francisco burgeoned amidst lawlessness and crime, diverse populations faced challenges, including Mexican Americans, Native Americans, and Chinese immigrants, highlighting the era's complexity and transformation.
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Mormons, Gold Rush, Diverse Population Americans Rush West
Mormons Settle in Utah • Mormons – religious group that settled in the Mexican Cession • Trouble with Neighbors • Founded by Joseph Smith • Their beliefs angered many non-Mormons and they were forced out of New York into Illinois • In Illinois, Smith was killed by a mob and Brigham Young took over
The Journey of the Mormons • Difficult Journey • For their safety, the Mormons decided to move to Utah • In 1847, they settled by the Great Salt Lake • Life in the Desert • Young thought Utah was the promised land for Mormons • They used irrigation systems to survive • Mormons took the Native American land without paying for it • In 1850, Brigham Young became governor of Utah
California Gold Rush • Sutter’s Mill • John Sutter owned a saw mill in California • While his crew was digging, they discovered gold • News spread and thousands of Americans caught “gold fever” • Forty-niners – more than 80,000 people made the journey to California in 1849.
Gold Rush Continued • Working in the Gold Fields • Easy to find gold near the surface at first • Later on, miners went “panning for gold” • Loading sand and gravel from the river in a washing pan and gently swirling it • Few miners actually struck it rich • Women also came out to California to mine and run boardinghouses
Gold Rush Continued • A New State • San Francisco grew into a large city • Some of the men turned to crime when they couldn’t find gold • Vigilantes – self-appointed law enforcers • Sometimes, people accused of crimes were lynched – hanged without a trial • Because of the lawlessness, California applied to become a state in 1849 which caused issues in the Senate over slavery
A Diverse Population • Mexican Americans and Indians • Many Mexican Americans lost lands their families had owned for generations • Many Native Americans lost land or died of starvation, disease, and murder • Chinese Americans • Faced prejudice • Many worked on the transcontinental railroad • African Americans • Had the richest African American population • But many still faced discrimination