Throughout history, people have been captivated by gold and would do nearly anything to obtain it. After all, Shakespeare once said, "Gold — what can it not do, and undo?" 

On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered by James Wilson Marshall at Sutter's Mill, California. Although he would try to keep it secret, it would soon be found and spark the California Gold Rush and others to follow. 

Today, we'll take a closer look at how this shiny object discovered at Sutter's Mill helped America prosper in many ways but left long-lasting damage in other ways.  

The Origins of Gold

Gold can be traced back to at least 3,000 B.C. Although we don't know which civilization first discovered gold, it was likely found in a stream and quickly became a treasured possession for its one-of-a-kind luster and malleability. 

Gold was initially used to make objects of worship and personal adornment. A highly valued, influential person would undoubtedly own gold jewelry, vases, plates, cups, and more. 

By 700 B.C., gold wasn't just considered a commodity but could be found in the form of money. It was soon understood all around the world that gold was valuable and needed to be protected and sought after at all costs.

Gold Rushes in America

During the 15th and 16th centuries, European leaders sponsored expeditions to find new land and, of course, gold. On December 6, 1606, a group of English men set sail to North America to establish a permanent colony. This colony would later be known as Jamestown, which you can learn more about in our American Revolution Time Traveler.

However, gold wasn't at the forefront of America's mind for quite some time. The new land needed to be settled, fought for, and eventually made independent from Great Britain with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Although it is said that gold was first discovered in Virginia in 1782, it wouldn't cause any excitement until the 1800s. Even though the California Gold Rush is considered one of the largest gold rushes in America, it wasn't the first.

Gold was discovered in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, in 1799 by twelve-year-old Conrad Reed. At the time, he didn't know that the 17-pound nugget was gold, so he used it as a doorstop for years. Finally, a jeweler noticed it and offered to buy it. After the sale was made, word got out, and many farmers rushed to North Carolina in hopes of striking it rich.

Another gold rush that happened before the one in California was the Georgia Gold Rush. Although it's unclear exactly how this gold rush occurred, experts speculate that Native Americans first discovered gold in the region, which would cause a group of American miners to flood the area in the 1830s. 

This would eventually cause tension between the two groups of people, leading to the forced removal of Native Americans from the area, otherwise known as the "Trail of Tears."

Sutter's Mill History and the California Gold Rush

With two gold rushes already in the books, Americans were readying themselves for another. 

On January 24, 1848, a carpenter named James W. Marshall was building a water-powered sawmill for Captain John Sutter in the Southfork American River, located in Coloma, California, when he first spotted flakes of gold.

Although Marshall tried to keep it hidden, the word eventually got out, and people from all across the globe (who would be recognized as the 49ers) headed for California. This massive rush that is remembered as the California Gold Rush would become a significant event in American history.

So, was the rush worth it? It's estimated that $2 billion worth of gold was found in the California area during that time. Not to mention, California's population grew from 1,000 to 10,000 practically overnight. Many people left the region rich and were ready to discover more.

The next major gold rush would happen in Yukon territory when American George Carmack reportedly found gold in the Klondike River in 1896. To read more about this exciting event, read our post, The Great Klondike Gold Rush.

What Was the Historical Impact of the California Gold Rush?

The California Gold Rush had a significant effect not only on California as a state but also on America as a whole. The gold that would be found over the years would help America become an economic powerhouse and lead to the formation of railroads, banks, and many other major businesses that our economy continues to use today. 

Even though gold may not have hurt our security as a nation, it did hurt our relationships with many groups of people, including the Native Americans, as we mentioned before. Plus, it began the never-ending battle with air pollution from chemicals that are used during the mining process. 

Learn More About America's Famous Gold Rushes

Who could have predicted that a shiny object like gold could have such an impact on our world? Once your children learn about this important metal, their eyes will be opened to how often it shows up as they're studying history.

If you'd like to include hands-on history projects that involve the finding of gold, our Early Nineteenth-Century Time Traveler is the perfect place to start. 

This study goes into detail on many of the events we discussed throughout this article, including many major gold rushes throughout the United States like the California Gold Rush, the Great Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the Westward Expansion and the Trail of Tears.

To get the full effect, we recommend following up this study with our Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression Time Traveler. For more "this week in history" updates, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter found at the bottom of our homepage!