California Gold Rush (1849)

Definition

The California Gold Rush was a mass migration to California following the discovery of gold in 1848. It brought approximately 300,000 people to the state and had significant social, economic, and political effects.

Analogy

Think of the California Gold Rush like a viral trend on social media today. Just as everyone rushes to participate in a new challenge or use a new filter, so did people rush to California in hopes of striking it rich with gold.

Related terms

Manifest Destiny: This is the belief that American settlers were destined by God to expand across North America. It was used as justification for westward expansion during the time of the Gold Rush.

Forty-Niners: These were prospectors who went to California in 1849 during the Gold Rush. They are named after the year they arrived.

Boomtowns: These are communities that experience sudden and rapid population and economic growth. Many boomtowns sprang up in California during the Gold Rush.