What’s that shiny thing in the water? Could it be? It is! It’s gold! People say that James W. Marshall was the first settler to find gold at Sutter’s Mill in California.
If you were him, would you jump for joy? Would you tell everyone about it? What would you do with your gold? It was a small piece – about as big as a pea – but it was big enough to start the Gold Rush.
Why was it called that? Because thousands of people rushed to California between 1848 and 1858 to find gold. Marshall and his boss, James Sutter, wanted to keep the gold a secret. But the news got out and was soon heard across the country – and even around the world. The news changed many lives. It also changed the people, land, and future of California.
