An Analysis of the Development of California, 1845-1960 Garrett Rb Oberg Concordia University - Portland, [email protected]

Concordia University - Portland CU Commons Undergraduate Theses Spring 2019 The Golden Rush to the Golden State: An Analysis of the Development of California, 1845-1960 Garrett rB oberg Concordia University - Portland, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.cu-portland.edu/theses Part of the History Commons CU Commons Citation Broberg, Garrett, "The Golden Rush to the Golden State: An Analysis of the Development of California, 1845-1960" (2019). Undergraduate Theses. 175. https://commons.cu-portland.edu/theses/175 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by CU Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Undergraduate Theses by an authorized administrator of CU Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract With a population of 40 million and a gross domestic product of nearly 2.5 trillion dollars the state of California on its own accounts for one of the top 10 largest economies in the world as well as one of the most diverse populations. But California’s emergence on the world stage did not occur overnight. In January of 1848, a local carpenter named James Marshall found a nugget of gold in the south fork of the American River when constructing a lumber mill for John Sutter. As a result of the construction project, Marshall’s discovery would be referred to as the first finding of gold in California. And almost instantly, word spread round the globe in the California gold rush was on. This thesis will explore several key aspects of California’s development while keeping a central focus on the impact of Marshall’s discovery, starting with the national climate toward westward expansion under President Polk and the actualization of Manifest Destiny. After the details of Marshall’s discovery is fully examined, the direct impacts of the California gold rush can be observed. Specifically, this paper will be broken up into four distinct sections each analyzing specific aspects of California’s early history, starting with the very beginning and those who shaped the region as well as how these communities wrestled with concepts such as law, religion, and racial diversity. Likewise, this thesis explores the state and local policies and politics up until 1852 as well as the broader implications for and the ensuing transformations to the state, including the emergence of California’s timber, agricultural and mining industries. Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................1 Dedication ............................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgments................................................................................................................4 The Golden Rush to Golden State: An Analysis of the Development of California 1845– 1860......................................................................................................................................5 The California Gold Rush: The Beginning and those who Shaped the Region.................12 Miner Life in the Heat of the Gold Rush: Law, Religion, and Racial Diversity ...............25 Policies and Politics Immediately After the Rush, 1848-1852 ..........................................38 Broader Implications and Transformations Following the Gold Rush ..............................52 The Golden Conclusion - California in 1860 .....................................................................58 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................61 Dedication The Frickin’ Fricks – Thanks for the carry, boys Acknowledgments First and foremost, Dr. Horten. Thank you for allowing my countless visits to your office for random questions and the hours you spent making this happen. None of this would be possible without your guidance and I cannot express in words how grateful I am for you and your dedication. As this is the culmination of my time studying history here at Concordia, it would not be right if the appropriate dues were paid for the people that inspired me to take this path. Two teachers from El Dorado High School, Mr. Hermann and Mr. Beasley. You two instilled the passion for history that I have and without that, who knows what I would be doing. Finally, Mom and Rusty, your countless sacrifices throughout my life are the only reason I am in the position that I am in. While it is impossible to say thank you for a lifetime thus far filled with embarrassment, support, and unconditional love, I hope this can be the beginning. The Golden Rush to Golden State: An Analysis of the Development of California 1845– 1860 The 1800s were a turbulent period of trial and error in the United States, exacerbated by years of political upheaval. At the dawn of the century, Thomas Jefferson became the first president to reside within the newly built White House, and in 1801, John Marshall became the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.1 Each step toward the establishment of an American political system led the nation forward into the 1840s. The country became divided under Martin Van Buren’s administration as a result of its polarizing slavery practices. As the decade progressed, social issues were cast aside by President James Polk. In December 1845, Polk set out to achieve the white man’s dream of Manifest Destiny. The expansion of the United States was a critical issue during the 1844 election between soon-to-be president Polk and Henry Clay, who ran as the Democratic candidate under the slogan “54° 40’ or fight!”2 Signifying the push for the United States’ territory to extend to through the current Oregon border which lies on the latitude line of 54 degrees, 40 minutes. The fulfilment of Manifest Destiny was highlighted by outsiders, who predicted that the 1844 election would decide the fate of America’s westward expansion. As a result of fulfilling Manifest Destiny, there were several developments in present day California that would change the country forever. While no politician or explorer knew 1 Supreme Court History Editors. The Marshall Court, Supreme Court History 2 Miles, Edwin. ""Fifty-four Forty or Fight"--An American Political Legend." (Bloomington, The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, 1957) 291-309. the impact of achieving Manifest Destiny, it is the discovery of gold in California three years after Polk’s advancements that would alter the nation’s trajectory moving forward. As the west developed, the massive influx of migrant populations, the ensuing political developments and policies, and subsequent actions taken by miners painted the picture of the development of California and how it became how it is today. Polk sought to push the US border to the southern tip of Alaska and fight for the re-annexation of Texas,3 bringing the dream of extending the United States “from sea to shining sea” to the verge of realization. While the Van Buren administration had set a precedent that the United States was content with the current borders and sought no further expansion, Polk chose instead to enact the will of the people to push borders westward. However, before one can properly discuss the effects of achieving westward expansion, the framework and infrastructure laid out generations prior must be acknowledged. The drive of American populations to the west dates back to the Louisiana Purchase, executed by Thomas Jefferson in 1803.4 This polarizing move shifted the economic focus and a significant portion of the population to the west. However, the westward-bound population was concerned about Native Americans being a barrier to the settling in the newly acquired lands. Jefferson himself noted, when making the purchase, that natives are equal to their Caucasian counterparts “in body and in mind,” but saw their 3 Edwin, ""Fifty-four Forty or Fight"--An American Political Legend." 291-309 4 Thomas, Hietala, Manifest Design: Anxious aggrandizement in late Jacksonian America. (Ithica: Cornell University Press. 1985) 5 lifestyle and habits as inferior to those of the Europeans.5 From this idea stemmed a theory that Native Americans could be transformed from “savage” to “civilized” through the adoption of a European lifestyle.6 Jefferson’s belief originated in the Enlightenment- era notion of environmentalism, which argues that an individual’s environment is dictated by the surrounding culture. Essentially, he claimed that the basis of Americans’ desire to stake claim to land that had been inhabited for generations was the natives’ poor agricultural habits and usage of this land. In other words, “[t]he ideology of manifest destiny has molded the American people’s perspective about their place in the world,” and as a result of this clouded judgement, proponents of westward expansion sought to acquire land by any means necessary.7 Moreover, “the land was home to many tribal nations including the Cherokee, Creek and Seminole in the south and the Choctaw and Chickasaw in the west.”8 Indian removal in favor of westward expansionism did not end with President Jefferson; rather, these arguments laid the foundation for the actualization of Manifest Destiny. In 1825, President Monroe stated the following in an address to Congress: The removal of the tribes from the territory which they now inhabit... would not only shield them from impending ruin but promote their welfare and happiness … 5 Hietala,

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