Views On Taming The Wild West California Gold Rush

Jasmine Morales

History 131

Debbie Roberts

17 April 2016

Views on Taming the West

Mainstream media almost always portrays western settlement as “The Wild West.” Often misleading to perceive westward expansion as dramatic and pro-American. In reality, vast groups from all over the globe had different interests in immigrating to the west. An event that can be familiarized, and had a major impact in California settlement is the Gold Rush. Although it was an important historic event, way before the Gold rush new territory in the West was seen as an opportunity for colonial growth. Being an area already used by Native Americans; new California settlers such as the Spanish, Russians, John Sutter, American Pioneers, and international groups had different

Sutter was a citizen of Mexican territory and owned a great portion of the Sacramento Valley. There he established a fort later known as Sutter’s Fort. Which later became an important refuge for Americans seeking economic growth and “Manifest Destiny.” John Sutter involuntarily labored Indians and people of other ethnic groups to work for him. His goal was to make this fort a welcomed refuge for American pioneers. Americans had implemented on an idea published in a newspaper by John O’Sullivan in which he wrote, ‘Our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for free development of our yearly multiplying millions.’(OM 369) He insisted to the American people that God had given them the right to spread democratic ways by expanding westward. This meant that they were on a calling to convert other nations to American ways, even if it meant by force. The Whigs (South) feared that if “Manifest Destiny” carried on, it encouraged the multiplication of slavery. Those that supported it traveled along the Overland Trails that reached California. These American pioneers faced some serious consequences traveling along these trails. There were instances where they faced detrimental conditions; rough terrain, drastic climate change, conflict with Indians, scarcity of food, and even death. John Sutter played a major role in California’s settlement, but it was after the rumor of gold on

Twenty percent of them were not American. “Later known as “forty-niners” for the year the gold rush began in earnest, these people came from all over the world.”(OM 383) People from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and northern continent were part of the gold rush’s history. With the dream of finding gold and establishing a flourishing society just like all the others. For example, many times the Chinese involvement were left out of the picture. They came; immigrating from political controversy that was going on in their country. Although they did play a big role in the gold rush, their motive was not gold, but to find work. Foreigners were willing to work harsh, extensive hours for little pay. Americans were not willing to work long hours, wanted the Sabbath off, and demanded higher wages. As stated by Antonio Franco Colonel, “Those who came later [mainly Anglo Americans], were possessed by the terrible fever to obtain gold, but they did not get it because their digging yielded but little or nothing, or because their work did not correspond to what they took out.” (TTP 181) For reasons like these immigrant miners were preferred, often leaving American miners unemployed. This was a cause of envy and tension between different racial groups. People from all over the world were contributors to the gold rush although it is not conveyed as an international historic