Gold Fever

News from Sutter’s Mill spread. Americans from the east got “gold fever.” They began rushing west to California. Gold seekers who arrived in 1849 and later years became known as forty-niners. They spent months traveling on horseback, in covered wagons, and by ship. Many spent all their life savings to make the long, dangerous journey.

Gold fever spread around the world too. Immigrants from Latin America, Asia, Europe, and Australia also joined the hunt. About 300,000 people moved to California during the Gold Rush with dreams of getting rich. 

News from Sutter’s Mill spread. Americans from the east got “gold fever.” They began rushing west to California. Gold seekers who arrived in 1849 and later years became known as forty-niners. They spent months traveling on horseback, in covered wagons, and by ship. Many spent all their life savings to make the long, dangerous journey.

Gold fever spread around the world too. Immigrants from Latin America, Asia, Europe, and Australia also joined the hunt. About 300,000 people moved to California during the Gold Rush. They had dreams of getting rich. 

Most of those prospectors were in for an unpleasant surprise. Gold wasn’t easy to find, and mining took a long time. Prospectors often worked from sunrise to sundown, hoping to spot even a speck of gold. In the end, few gold hunters became wealthy.

Some of the largest fortunes weren’t made by the prospectors at all. People who opened stores, hotels, and banks to support the prospectors often became rich. 

As the number of businesses and people rose, mining camps grew into towns and cities. This rise in population led to California becoming the 31st state, in 1850. 

Most of those prospectors were in for an unpleasant surprise. Gold wasn’t easy to find. And mining took a long time. Prospectors often worked from sunrise to sundown. They did this hoping to spot even a speck of gold. In the end, few gold hunters became wealthy.

Some of the largest fortunes weren’t made by the prospectors at all. People who opened stores, hotels, and banks to support the prospectors often became rich. 

The number of businesses and people rose. Because of that, mining camps grew into towns and cities. This rise in population led to California becoming the 31st state, in 1850. 

The Gold Rush ended in about 1855, but it continued to shape America. Those who came looking for gold, especially Chinese immigrants, helped build railroads in the U.S. Those tracks would connect the west coast to the east coast. 

Today California has the largest population of any state. Its nickname is the Golden State—a shiny reminder of how gold shaped California’s future.  

The Gold Rush ended in about 1855. But it continued to shape America. Those who came looking for gold, especially Chinese immigrants, helped build railroads in the U.S. Those tracks would connect the west coast to the east coast. 

Today California has the largest population of any state. Its nickname is the Golden State. The nickname is a shiny reminder of how gold shaped California’s future.