Immigration immensely affected the economies and societies of the United States, in particular. The Gold Rush had different effects on the economy and the society in California. The Mormon migration to Utah greatly developed the area. Texas, however, had a harder time developing economic prosperity. These three states had very different ways to economic and societal prosperity.
Texas had a more difficult time developing a good economy and society. The territory was too vast and underpopulated to really generate some commerce. When Texas was a part of Mexico, they provided land to settlers at very low cost. However, they required that the individual acquirers inhabit and cultivate the land, which helped grow society and economy. After Texas’s fight for independence from Mexico, this must have changed. Texas became it’s own country for a while, but ended up becoming a state in December 1845.
California ended up on a different path to a successful economy. The Gold Rush had an immensely positive effect on the state’s economy. Immigration, trade, and economy all together grew exceedingly. Not only cities, but towns flourished and grew. However, with this huge boom in the economy, society began to fail. Because there were not many women in mining camps, the lonely miners would spend their free hours drinking, gambling, and fighting. Violence, crime, and discrimination were all raging in California. So, California’s chaotic economic growth caused society to go on a downward path. California applied for statehood, but aroused the slavery issue, so it took a little longer for California to become a state.
Utah’s story is very different, however. 12,000 Mormons made the journey to the Salt Lake City area to find refuge. There was nothing in that area, they had to build it themselves. The Mormons began to construct a society in isolation, based on their beliefs and values.