California Gold Fever Or The Gold Rush Of 1849

Before 1848, California was a sparsely populated, insignificant Mexican Providence. Farms and ranches filled endless expanses of land, and settlements along the coast were occupied by wood and water suppliers. After its discovery in 1848, gold was said to be as common as clay. Several thousand people left their jobs, homes, and families to follow their delirious dreams of looking for this much sought after metal. Gold Fever or The Gold Rush of 1849 had an everlasting impact on California and set a foundation for the successful place it is today. In 1834, John Sutter, a bankrupt shopkeeper from Switzerland, deserted his large family to avoid paying debts. This bizarre, complex, and conceded man tried to carve a career for himself in many states,

Travel was impossible until snows melted and grass began to grow. Nevertheless, gold couldn’t wait. People came up with alternative routes to reach the excitement earlier. Sea travel was a second option for reaching California rather efficiently. East Coast merchants frequently looped Around South America’s tip and headed up to the coast of California. This route usually took six to nine months, but there were shortcuts, and other passages to reach the gold. Those routes included The Panama Route, and The Nicaragua Route. The Panama Route was undeniably the quickest route to California. The trip began near the Chagres River, which was off the Caribbean Coastline. When the quiet Panamanian town was overturned by ruthless gold seekers, the natives were eager for a chance to earn money. In a panic to arrive in California quickly, foreigners hired the Panamanians to steer boats called bungos, westward to Gatum, where passengers spent the night in dirty flee ridden hotels. The boat trip usually ended at Gorgona, but if heavy rain kept the river deep, the boat continued a couple miles ahead to Cruced. Once again people argued over transportation. Mules, horses, and carriers were needed to tackle the rugged twenty mile overland trip. The narrow trail across the jungle was rough, and the oppressive heat and swarming insects were aggravating. Many travelers

It was growing with incredible speed, as it was a good stopover spot. Gambling houses and saloons were everywhere. The streets were strewn with garbage, and there were no sanitation and sewage systems. The filth of San Francisco stopped nobody, and other than the Nevada Sierra Mountains, it was the place to be. As the population grew, so did the price of food and tools. Shopkeepers were collecting gold faster than miners could collect it. Everything purchased was purchased through gold. Eggs were ten dollars a dozen, while a single onion was one dollar. Even though the prices were sky high, merchants knew they could get it because all of their products were in great demand. Treasure was said to be underfoot on land, and underwater in rivers, but many heard that the richest diggings had already been claimed. Prospectors headed to the hills hoping that the reports were deliberately created by successful miners who didn’t want to share the wealth. Luckily there was still a great amount of gold, and the reports were