The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) began when gold was discovered by James W. Marshall (above) at Sutter’s Mill, in northern California at Coloma. News of the discovery
brought some 300,000 people to California from vast parts of the United States and abroad.Some became quite wealthy, but many returned home with little more than what
they started with. The effects of the Gold Rush resulted in San Francisco growing from a small settlement to a boomtown. A state constitution was written and California became
a state in 1850 as part of the compromise of 1850.
THERE’S AN EPP FOR THAT. BD
Soon, the Saxons roamed from East Germany in the mining areas, but they were too late. Why: 1849 was the information in Germany, that is, in my home town of Torgau, near the city of Leipzig. Soon was John A. Sutter everyone’s
lips – no problem in a town with just 6000 inhabitants. “We’re going to Sutter – gold!” Speculators and swindlers after the 1848 revolution and poverty. Many were lured. 9220 km as the crow even at that time were no obstacle for information, but there was a problem: the departure had to be approved by the authorities, and it took. Some emigrants traveling illegally – they had better maps, but they had miscalculated in terms of travel time.
Several families sold land or possessions to make the trip across the Elbe to Hamburg and then to New Orleans to finance – the thaler was favorable. Then there was a problem – about 2000 miles were still up there in the areas of Auburn, Coloma and Grass Valley. Luisiana-Texas-New Mexiko-Arizona-Kalifornien/Sierra. Seven to eight months, the trip took – if everything went smoothly.
The emigrants from Torgau had indeed reached its goal, but before the end of 1850 could not be started with the panning for gold, Claims virtually empty – new mining areas were rarely found. The dream of a revival in the New World had not been fulfilled.
Literature: “The gold of the Sierra Nevada,” Adventure, AAVAA-publishing house, Berlin, 2012.
Addition:
Very important for the reader:
emigrants also loved the adventure. Young people dreaming of the beautiful Sierra. James Fenimore Cooper, Friedrich Gerstacker, Jack London brought the romance with her books on Germany and made life in the new world tasty – Books by American authors have translated into German.
My relatives emigrated in 1928 from Germany / Leipzig to Phoenix / Arizona. Racist machinations they have not seen, although the ports and towns were always full of Emmigrants. They worked as artisans and merchants. In the residential area and in the field of American culture, they found a home.
The novel, “The gold of the Sierra Nevada”:
On the occasion of the good understanding between immigrants and Americans.
Thomas Schmidt