Frantic search for gold in 1849 in the California Territory.
On January 24, 1848, James Marshall discovered gold on the American River while building a sawmill for John Sutter, who sought to create an agricultural empire in the California Territory. In December 1848 President James Polk verified the discovery and precipitated one of the largest human migrations in American history. By 1852 more than 200,000 gold seekers had traveled to the California Territory by sea around the tip of South America, by sea and land crossing at Panama, and by land via the Oregon Trail or California Trail. In addition to European Americans, the prospect of great wealth attracted Chinese, Chileans, Mexicans, Irish, Germans, French, and Turks in significant numbers. The initial success of the placer miners, who panned for gold in the rivers, ended when the surface gold disappeared and extraction was necessary, requiring advanced technology and significant financing.
The California Gold Rush lasted about six years, during which time California gained admittance to the Union; major businesses responded to the demands of the miners, including Wells Fargo (stagecoach) and Levi Strauss (clothing); cultural diversity created tensions and xenophobia; and miners extracted over $200 million in gold.
