• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / History / How did Native Americans in California prospect for gold and What was the impact of the Gold Rush?

How did Native Americans in California prospect for gold and What was the impact of the Gold Rush?

June 1, 2020 by Karen Hill

Some white prospectors hired Native Americans to look for gold for them. But most native Californians had little interest in gold, which to them was just a shiny metal.

The Gold Rush had its greatest effect on the Indians by bringing ever increasing numbers of non-Indians into their midst. Some of the miners were rough, violent men who killed Indians in their way with little thought. The government of California contributed to the violence by funding military campaigns against Indians.

Between 1845 and 1870, as many as 48,000 Native American men, women, and children in the state were murdered.

Most of the survivors saw their lands overrun by settlers and by miners who, giving up the quest for gold, decided to stay in California rather than return home. These newcomers forced many Indian groups to abandon their villages, leaving these peoples landless.

Related Facts

  • What was the European Age of Exploration?
  • Which Explorers First Explored the Continents of the World?
  • What was the Gold Rush about and When did the California Gold Rush take place?
  • What is the story of El Dorado about and Where did El Dorado come from?
  • When did the California Gold Rush take place and What did it mean for Mexican Americans?
  • What Is the Difference Between Yellow Gold and White Gold and What Are the Alloys Used For?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What was the Alcatraz takeover and Why did Native American activists stage a protest?
Next Post: What happened to California’s landless Native Americans tribes in the late nineteenth century? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy