How History Changed America

The third part of the “10 DAYS THAT UNEXPECTEDLY CHANGED AMERICA”, analyze the ludicrous story of the biggest mass development of individuals on the planet history. Neither the crusades nor Alexander's expedition to India would have broken even with to the movement that occurred in California, in the late 40s and mid-50s. Once the disclosure of the “Gold” had been formally declared by president James K. Polk in the condition of Union message, on December fifth, 1848, the world surged in and California turned into the spot that none others' could mirror its differences of race, color,religion, language,size, government,capital, strength, and ethics that emerged in California. America and history were changed forever by the Gold founded by James
Marshall. James Marshall, a carpenter, who worked in John Augustus Sutter’s fort. Sutter, a swiss born man in Germany, known to be in debt resided in California with thousands of acres .
Sutter ordered Marshall to find a site to build a sawmill along the American River. On January 24, 1848, during the construction process, Marshall saw flickerings of gold flakes- he then partially confirmed it was gold. Generously, he informed Sutter and tested the material and confirmed it as gold. Due to legal land problems and the people craze for money made Sutter hid the information about gold, but on May 12 Sam Brannan, store owner at Sutter’s Fort traveled to San Francisco with proof of the gold discovery. Brannan’s intention was to lure himself, new clients, looking for gold mining equipment. With the surprising information, thousands began their journey in search of gold. Somehow, in the summer of 1849, Californians had the gold rush to themselves. Eventually, people throughout the United States and around the world traveled to California for gold. Thousands of people risked their health, money, and lives to go to the river in California. Although James Marshall was the man who discovered the gold he didn’t get recognized financially, nor did Sutter. They both became bankrupt and by the time Marshall died he was only worth a little less than 550
dollars. If only Sam Brannan could keep his mouth shut, both Sutter and Marshall would have achieved their American Dream. California’s Gold rush lasted throughout the Civil War and even in the 1900’s. The government gained as much as $500 million dollars to the American wealth, the gold rush also led to the construction of a transcontinental railroad that helped to colonize the country’s open land and grew the nation closer together; it was also what started the microchips and computers. Because of all the people who traveled through America and immigrated from different countries to get gold, California is now one of the most diverse and the rich state in America.