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The Beginning of the CA Gold Rush
Gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. -
Period: to
CA Gold Rush
Lasted from January 24, 1848 to 1855 -
Mexican War Ends
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends Mexican War, surrenders California and Southwest to United States. Mexican citizens who stay are promised full citizenship and property rights by the treaty. -
Gold Found near Sutter's Mill
Henry Bigler finds gold downstream from Sutter’s mill site. -
San Fran Newspaper Reports About Gold Discovery
On March 15, 1848, Marshall's gold discovery was reported by the San Fran newspaper. -
Work Finished on Sutter's Mill, Mining Begins at Mormon Island
Mormons finish work on Sutter’s Mill, begin mining at “Mormon Island” on the American River below Sutter’s Mill. -
Gold discovered in San Francisco
Samuel Brannan announces gold discoveries in San Francisco, kicking off local rush in California and eventually around the Pacific rim. -
First East Coast major newspaper about gold
New York Herald first major newspaper on East coast to report the discovery of gold in California. -
Mining in California stops for winter
Mining in California stops for winter, many miners return home, planning to come back next year. Estimates suggest that about 5,000 people have gone to the foothills, and gathered roughly 12,000 troy ounces of gold during the year. -
California becomes the 31st state in the United States
California becomes the 31st state. Compromise of 1850 allows California to enter the union as a “free state,” due to “popular sovereignty.” -
San Francisco Mint Opens
US Government opens San Francisco Mint, to turn California gold into standardized gold dollars. -
CA Gold Rush Ends
Estimated that over 300,000 people have moved to California since the beginning of the gold rush and the gold rush ends.