California Gold Rush (1848-1855)

1. Gold found at Sutter’s Mill

   Jan 24, 1848Labels: James W, Sutter's Mill, Coloma

   • NPS
   • Britannica

2. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends U.S.–Mexico War

   Feb 2, 1848Labels: Treaty of, United States, Mexico

   • National Archives
   • Britannica

3. Samuel Brannan promotes the gold discovery publicly

   May 1, 1848Labels: Samuel Brannan, merchant, San Francisco

   • Britannica

4. Polk’s message to Congress validates gold reports

   Dec 5, 1848Labels: James K, U S

   • Christie s
   • Britannica

5. “Forty-Niners” arrive in large numbers

   Jan 1, 1849Labels: Forty-Niners, San Francisco, Overland routes

   • LOC
   • Britannica

6. California constitutional convention meets at Monterey

   Sep 1, 1849Labels: California Constitutional, Monterey

   • Military Museum
   • US House

7. California enacts Foreign Miners’ Tax

   Apr 13, 1850Labels: Foreign Miners', California government

   • Foreign Tax
   • LibreTexts

8. California passes 1850 “Protection of Indians” act

   Apr 22, 1850Labels: Act for, California legislature

   • PBS
   • Indian Act

9. California admitted as the 31st U.S. state

   Sep 9, 1850Labels: California statehood, Millard Fillmore

   • US House
   • National Archives

10. Congress passes the California Land Act

    Mar 3, 1851Labels: California Land, Congress

    • Land Act
    • National Archives

11. Gold production reaches its peak

    Jan 1, 1852Labels: Gold production, placer mining

    • Britannica
    • Museum CA

12. Large-scale Chinese immigration surges into California

    Jan 1, 1852Labels: Chinese immigration, San Francisco

    • State Dept
    • State Archives

13. Foreign miners’ tax system is revised and continued

    Jan 1, 1852Labels: Foreign miners', California tax

    • LibreTexts
    • PBS Guide

14. Gold Rush wanes as easy placer gold declines

    Dec 31, 1855Labels: Decline of, Industrial mining

    • Britannica
    • NPS