2. This gold rush changed the state
of California forever.
From what started out as a
simple inspection, had now
turned into a full time occupation
for some people.
◦ James Marshall arrived at Sutter’s Fort
in 1845.While inspecting the site on
January 24, 1848 Marshall found
some ‘sparkling pebbles’ and thought
they were just pieces of Quartz.
He thought they might be gold, after
undergoing some more tests, his
theory proved true.
Spring 1949- many people from
all over the world were coming to
California in hopes of making
their fortunes finding gold as
well.
3. Began in 1846 and lasted two years.
◦ This increased the United States by almost half of its previous landmass.
Wilmot Proviso- Democratic Congressman David Wilmot introduced
the Wilmot Proviso, which aimed to prohibit slavery in new territory
acquired from Mexico. Wilmot's proposal did not pass Congress, but it
spurred further hostility between the factions.
In 1847 the House of Representatives passed the Wilmot
Proviso, stipulating that none of the territory acquired should be open to
slavery. The Senate avoided the issue, and a late attempt to add it to the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was defeated.
4. During the Gold Rush, most
southerners brought their
personal slaves with them to
aid in the process of searching
in the mines for gold.
What first started as only being
legal in Texas, soon (about 10
years later) became legalized in
Utah and New Mexico.
California didn’t follow suit
even though most of the
representatives and senators
had joined their votes in
supporting slavery.
5. Southern born politicians living in California owned
their own slaves and it was okay because they came
from states that legalized the rights of slave labor.
This group of people tried to split California into
allowing slavery in the lower half of the state.
When congress didn’t approve, they focused their
efforts into getting places like Cuba to accept slavery.
