James W. Marshall's finding of gold on January 24, 1848 led to the expansion of the West Coast and the beginning of a new state, California. Marshall discovered gold in a mill on the south fork of the American River, and seeing that it was John A. Stutter's mill he wanted the gold kept quiet and the press kept out of it for a while, but by March it was revealed. By May the rush had started and men who headed for the streams flowing westward from the Sierra Nevada depopulated San Francisco, Monterey, San Jose, and other California communities. By the time summer was there, Californians joined by few men from Hawaii and Oregon were already in search for the gold without competition from the gold seekers

The gold rush of the 1850's symbolized America's quest towards westward movement, the challenges of life on the frontier, and the impact it had on California's growth. As a result, the gold rush profoundly influences the shaping of American History. Many people learned how to be independent and survive on their own through difficult challenges. Many people gained freedom by discovering new land, new jobs, and so on. Not only did the gold rush era change the lives of many people but it also made California and independent state. California benefited from the "Gold Rush" and became the largest city on the Pacific Coast. I learned that people had to defeat their fears and go through many hard struggles to achieve what they wanted. People wanted more than anything to find gold and they would do whatever they could just to get some. They wanted this gold so bad because if they could find it they knew they would be rich because gold was such an expensive resource. In life things aren't handed to you, you have to work to get what you want out of life. I feel that this was an important era in American History, which changed the lives of many people. It made people think about life in general and what they needed to do to achieve their pursuit of happiness. The gold rush made people work for what they wanted, made them fight for it, and fight for their freedom.

Not only were trails difficult to follow in the quest for gold but there were also many challenges to survive on the frontier. The danger of Indians was minimized although due to the number of people that traveled to get the gold. The heavy traffic exhausted the grass supply needed for animals and water holes along the trail were infected with Asiatic Cholera. The immigrants knew nothing about the traveling along the plains or over the mountains. Guides were scarce, and many guidebooks were misleading. This all caused many problems for immigrants throughout the journey. A relief society in Sacramento financed and delivered medical help and food supplies to people stranded on the desert, which saved many lives. People who wandered from the established routes encountered suffering. "One party leaving the Col

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1477
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)