Westward expansion was a period of American history in the 1800s when the United States expanded its territories westward, acquiring new lands and extending its borders. This period of expansion was driven by a combination of factors, including economic, political, and cultural forces. The United States was a new country with an enormous amount of assets and a developing population in the early 1800s. Over the next few decades, the United States continued to expand westward, with settlers moving across the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Coast. This period of expansion was marked by conflict and conquest, as the United States clashed with Native American tribes, Spanish colonizers, and other nations for control of the land. …show more content…
These challenges included harsh environmental conditions, dangers posed by Native American tribes, and the difficulty of traveling long distances across rough terrain. One of the biggest challenges facing settlers moving westward was the harsh environmental conditions they encountered. Settlers would be walking for miles and miles on end every day just to get to the other side of this country. Imagine walking or wagoning 20-30 miles every day for months with formidable obstacles, extreme temperatures throughout the day and night, and unpredictable weather patterns. However, these long treks were not for nothing. Settlers from far and wide would travel west for new opportunities, a new life, a new chance. The west of the United States was known for its mining and agricultural aspects. The 1849 Gold Rush was a huge event in America’s history when it came to mining gold and silver. Below is an official report from the San Francisco gold mines in 1848. This is an official account of a visit by Colonel Richard Barnes Mason, dated August 17, …show more content…
W. T. Sherman, 3rd Artillery, A.A.A. General, I started on the 12th of June last to make a tour through the northern part of California. We reached San Francisco on the 20th and found that all, or nearly all, its male inhabitants had gone to the mines. The town, which a few months before was so busy and thriving, was then almost deserted… At Sutter’s, there was more life and business. Launches were discharging their cargoes at the river and carts were hauling goods to the fort, where already were established several stores, a hotel, etc. Captain Sutter had only two mechanics in the employe—a wagon-maker and a blacksmith, whom he was then paying $10 per day. Merchants pay him a monthly rent of $100 per room, and while I was there a two-story house in the fort was rented as a hotel for $500 a
The company wanted over 5,000 workers to come and work on the railroad, but they only had 600 on the list of payroll by 1864. (“Workers of the Central”). The ratio between 600 and 5,000 workers is a dramatic difference so the workers had to work about eight times harder and
The scenery described by the author made you wish that you were there so that you could get some for yourself. Also the accounts of the different races living together in peace was astonishing, something that you wouldn’t see until the end of the next century. This was truly something you could not duplicate or make up on your own. During the time of the gold rush as expected as people began to come, the population would increase and towns would be built. Many of the major cities in California that still exists today started of being gold mine towns were the labor would settle after a hard day out in the fields searching for their illustrious treasure.
Adrian Sosa Mrs Brimhall English February 24, 2017 The california Gold rush of 1849 The california gold rush of 1849 reshaped california forever despite you agree or not it has been done and cannot be changed. Gold was discovered accidentally in california , discovered near the American river this historic find would change california's future. Across America, many people made the choice to head on over to California hoping to get rich.
Those that supported it traveled along the Overland Trails that reached California. These American pioneers faced some serious consequences traveling along these trails. There were instances where they faced detrimental conditions; rough terrain, drastic climate change, conflict with Indians, scarcity of food, and even death. John Sutter played a major role in California’s settlement, but it was after the rumor of gold on
Joshua Gillingham Humanities Jorge Cerna May 8th, 2023 “How did the Gold Rush change the course of the development of California?” A minor but substantial find in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California in the winter of 1848 ignited a frenetic rush of fortune seekers, turning the formerly quiet frontier into a frenzied epicenter of gold fever. The promise of wealth and opportunity attracted a varied group of migrants from all over the world, forever altering the direction of California's growth and leaving an enduring legacy that still influences the state today. What happened next was a turning point in American history.
It is said to be, “arguably one of the most significant events to shape American history during the first half of the 19th century” (History.com Staff, 2010, para.1). Even though there was good and bad it made California a state of great opportunity for many people. California’s diversity is also an impact that the Gold Rush had. The migration during the Gold Rush led many people of all origins around the world, and it changed the culture of California forever. After the Gold Rush California would never be the
The California Gold Rush When an American thinks about the history of the state of California, what exactly comes to mind? An article written on the website of http://www.history.com/topics/gold-rush-of-1849 explains, “The discovery of gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 sparked the Gold Rush, arguably one of the most significant events to shape American history during the first half of the 19th century.” With this event beginning on January 24, 1848, the history of the United States would forever be altered. The California Gold Rush is known in common households all over the United States.
Even though it was before computers and phones, the information spread quickly across the country and started what is called Manifest Destiny. This will tell you about some of the important parts of the westward expansion. Gold Rush: The gold rush started in January 1848 in the city of Coloma California when a man named James Wilson Marshall found gold flakes in the American River at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. When he found the gold, he was working to build a water-powered sawmill owned by John Sutter. They tried not to tell anybody but word got out very quickly.
After President Polk confirmed the rumors of gold in California in 1848 (Oakland Museum Staff), around 250,000 people came to California in seek of the soft metal that could lead to a fortune: gold (The forty-niners). The California Gold Rush not only presented fortune, it presented a new idea of the American Dream: “‘one where the emphasis was on the ability to take risks and the willingness to gamble
Brianna Campbell Campbell 1 5/10/23 The California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush was an essential event in American History that not only impacted California, but the nation as a whole. It began in January of 1848 with the discovery of gold at Sutter?s Mill by James Marshall. This discovery attracted tens of thousands of new settlers from across the country to move west in hopes of finding fortune.
The Westward Expansion all started when America made the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. There were many benefits from the purchase for the US that the French didn’t realize before they sold it. The purchase gave the US access to the Mississippi river which allowed for expansion of river trade to the North and South from the center of the US. The port city of New Orleans was bought by the US and its prosperity benefited the US greatly. The US sent Lewis and Clark west to investigate the land they purchased.
The early arrivers or “forty-eighters” received much profit considering how they got ahold of the gold before others had taken it. “Only a small number (probably fewer than 500) traveled overland from the United States that year. Some of these "forty-eighters", as the earliest gold-seekers were sometimes called, were able to collect large amounts of easily accessible gold—in some cases, thousands of dollars worth each day” (California Gold Rush, Wikipedia). But 1949 is when the real gold rush started. Approximately 300,000 people from around the world went to California in hopes of finding gold.
At the time, John Sutter had 3 mills and more than two hundred and sixty people working for him (Kosher, 2015). As news traveled about the discovery of gold, Sutter’s workers quit working for him and began gold panning. However, Sutter’s men were not the only group of people who sought for riches in California. By 1849, people from all over the world made the long trip to California’s mountains in search for gold.
During 1849, the gold in Northern California brought people from all over the country and eventually, the world. People were headed to San Fransico any way possible. By boat, wagon, horseback or even on foot and leaving many towns completely empty. This increased profit for businesses selling pans, shovels and picks, but they weren’t the only ones ( Competing Visions 111). “ Luzena Stanley Wilson, who came with her husband and family to the Gold Rush country, remembered selling her freshly made biscuits for five dollars each” ( Competing Visions 111).
One challenge people would face during the California Gold Rush was the travel to get there. On land, traveling to California is about 2,000 miles and 123 days if you’re coming from missouri(The California Gold Rush, paragraph 1). In some years only half the people who were traveling to the gold rush would actually live all the way there. Traveling isn’t as easy as it looks and you have to bring all your supplies with you and it would be impossible to make it up a hill with too much weight from supplies.