The Gold Rush had a huge social, political, and economic impact on California and the nation as a whole.
Before, California had been the wild frontier. It had had barely any connection to the East Coast, which was the center of power in the United States. Suddenly, California was the focus of worldwide attention.
The state’s massive growth and new wealth brought major changes, like the transcontinental railroad. The state’s new laws also had broad effects. For example, California became the 31st state in 1850. California didn’t allow slavery, which meant that suddenly free states outnumbered slave states. This change helped spark the Civil War.
Just think: All this change started with one little piece of gold seen glittering in a river.
