The California gold rush — began on January 24, , when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California.
The gold rush had severe effects on Native Californians and accelerated the Native American population's decline from disease, starvation, and the California genocide. The effects of the gold rush were substantial. Whole indigenous societies were attacked and pushed off their lands by the gold-seekers, called "forty-niners" referring to , the peak year for gold rush immigration.
Of the approximately , people who came to California during the gold rush, about half arrived by sea and half came overland on the California Trail and the California Road ; forty-niners often faced substantial hardships on the trip.
While most of the newly arrived were Americans, the gold rush attracted thousands from Latin America, Europe, Australia, and China. Agriculture and ranching expanded throughout the state to meet the needs of the settlers.
San Francisco grew from a small settlement of about residents in to a boomtown of about 36, by Roads, churches, schools and other towns were built throughout California.
