Gold! This shiny, valuable metal makes a poor man rich and a rich man richer. At one time in the history of the U.S., gold was a hot commodity that brought people from around the world to California. While it may not be as prominent today due to abstracted currencies like credit cards and crypto, gold-standard aside, the relative rarity of gold makes it valuable still.
The Gold Rush took place from 1803 to 1861, between the Louisiana Purchase and the American Civil War. At the time, the Californian territory was in-between ownership by Mexico and the United States. The Gold Rush began when James W. Marshall discovered gold flakes in the American River as he was building a sawmill for Captain John Sutter — the founder of California’s capital city, Sacramento. Word spread, and over 300,000 people from across the globe arrived at and around Sutter’s Fort to try ...
