The discovery of gold in1848 unleashed the largest migration in United States history and drew people from a dozen countries to form a multi-ethnic society in California.

The Gold Rush began when James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill on the American River in 1848. Word spread like wildfire, attracting thousands to California, eager to strike it rich.

More than 150 years after the gold rush first began, some Americans are still digging for riches all over California.

During the peak years of the gold rush, the population of indigenous people in California dropped from some 150,000 to roughly 31,000, according to the International Indian Treaty Council.

During the peak years of the gold rush, the population of indigenous people in California dropped from some 150,000 to roughly 31,000, according to the International Indian Treaty Council.

Gold was found near Coloma in 1848 by James W. Marshall, a white carpenter, setting off the California gold rush that saw hundreds of thousands of people from across the nation and outside of the ...