The California Gold Rush was a period in American history which began on January 24, 1848, when gold was discovered by James W. Marshall. The Gold Rush played a very important role in the social development of America, which in the political, economic, cultural and other aspects. What’ s more, it also change America in many ways.
Promoting American Economic Development
The Gold Rush utterly changed American appearance: a large number of immigrants appeared; large quantities of barren lands were reclaimed; a lot of gold miner were set up; the development of agriculture in west provided a large amount of food, material and domestic market on industrial development; nature resources were opened up to develop industries. And trade and transportation had got new leaps.At first, When San Francisco newspaper printed this discovery. Tens thousand of people from Latin America, Europe, and Asia to search gold. There were a passage from The California to describe it vividly:“Gold! Gold! Gold! While the field is left half-planted, the house half-build, and everything neglected but the manufacture of picks and shovels.’’ It provided adequate labors. With a year, California’s population had swollen from 14,000 to 100,000. These early gold-seekers, called “forty-niners”. In fact, they joined into Gold Rush while few of them became millionaire. But
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It was not only the process of original accumulation of capital in the development of capitalism, but the process of promoting extensive exploitation of the west and rapid development of economy. It impelled the gold standard was established which paper currency in exchange for gold. In political aspect, it promoted the way of a California state constitutional convention was convened, a state constitution written and elections held. In addition, it provided the United States with its richest miners, greatest forests and abundant