Timeline History of the California Gold Rush

In 1848, a carpenter named James Marshall discovered that there was gold in the riverbeds of the Sacramento Valley. Gold fever quickly spread across the country and around the world. By the thousands, hopeful people left their homes, families, and jobs in search of their fortune. The California gold rush lasted for only seven years, but in that time it transformed California and affected the whole nation. People used their new riches to start businesses and build cities. People from many nation ...