The American west 10

chapter 6 the California gold rush

in 1848 John Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's fort in California.this western territory became famous.thousands of people traveled to California to look for gold.this was the California gold rush.

these people were called "Forty-Niners".the first "Forty-Niners" arrived in San Francisco in Feb 1849.on the steamship California.others came to California on the Oregon and California trail.in 1849 .almost 100000 people arrived in California to look for gold.

San Francisco became a very important city.there were many small mining towns in the Colifornia gold country.many forty-niners found gold.but only some of them became rich and important.

the discovery of gold changed the destiny of California and the west.the population of California grew very quickly.it became the 31 state of the united states in 1850. 

a lot of people traveled to the west.a lot of gold traveled from California to the east.from 1852.the Wells Fargo stagecoaches traveled from the east coast to the west coast.Wells Fargo was a very important company in the west.the stagecoaches carried passengers.money.mail.and gold across the continent.

a journey across america by stagecoach was a great adventure.4 or 6 horses pulled the Wells Fargo stagecoaches.there were 4 to 6 passengers in every stagecoach.

the journey was very uncomfortable.the stagecoaches traveled all day and all night.passengers slept inside the coaches and hard seats.

Indians and outlaws attacked the stagecoaches.