The Gold Rush occurred between 1849 and 1874 in California, where over a billion dollars worth of gold was extracted from the ground. There was an influx of people hoping to benefit from this fortune which affected the economic, social and political development of California. James Marshall first discovered gold in Coloma, and at first it was treated as a secret, but it was later leaked by the workers who worked at the sawmill. Rumors of the availability of gold spread, further increasing the number of adventurers in the region. California's industrialization was achieved through the discovery of gold, but several parties paid the highest price for this achievement. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Among the negative effects of the Gold Rush, the most predominant must be the environmental effects, which are still visible today. Gold mining was done using high pressure water cannons which were used to wash the hillsides, which allowed the mercury to trap the available gold, but also allowed the soil to be carried away. The mountains were stripped of their sediment and vegetation, while other pieces of land were washed away by the waters. There has been an adjustment in the environmental conditions of the region due to this unnatural method of erosion. The use of hydraulic mining was one of the aspects that made industrialization costly in terms of environmental conservation. For example, the mercury released during this process was recirculated into the atmosphere, water and soil. Additionally, rivers and streams were diverted from their natural routes to mining sites upstate. This method has affected marine life to the extent that fish in California have been found to contain a significant amount of mercury, which has negative effects on the health of the local population. The creation of California's Forty-Nine, which included hastily developed villages, towns, and other settlements, was linked to environmental degradation. Although permanent towns still exist today, many villages were abandoned at the end of the gold rush. The negative impact of California's need to diversify its industrialization from gold-generated revenues could also be seen in the agricultural colonies. Although farming communities enjoyed greater economic prosperity during the Gold Rush, as demand for foodstuffs among miners increased, newly established settlements had impacts on agricultural land while mining activities have compromised the quality of agricultural land. The construction of dams, for example the English Dam located in Nevada County, has had positive effects on the water reserve and supply in California. However, the dams, whose purpose was to help supply water to the gold mines, made significant changes to the courses of the rivers. In addition to threatened agricultural activities in the Central Valley due to waterlogging of lakes and river beds, conflicts have also emerged between agricultural and mining interests. The Sawyer Decision of 1884 was passed to resolve the conflict and end hydraulic mining. Another major problem posed by gold mining was the high demand for wood, needed to fuel the boilers used in the mines, in addition to the construction of extensive canal systems. The increased demand for lumber has led to thecreation of the logging industry, which led to massive destruction of forests, lowering the level of agricultural practices. The Gold Rush period of 1848 to 1855 caused environmental damage that has not been fully studied even today. Explosives used during underground mining have caused the destruction of tons of rock and toxic materials that remain harmful to California's water sources. According to Elizabeth Martin, executive director of a Nevada-based environmental group known as the Sierra Fund, California is very concerned about the level of mercury emanating from gold mining because it was used to extract gold. stones and quartz. Likewise, it has been noted that once mentholated, mercury is biologically available and that once accumulated in food products, it becomes dangerous for health. A study in Nevada County by the United States Geological Survey found significant levels of mercury in fish, higher than what is considered safe for human consumption by the Environmental Protection Agency. Not only did the Gold Rush take a physical toll on the land, but it also affected those who originally lived there. The discovery of gold in California was not initially opposed by Native Americans, as they did not see negative implications for the region and social development. Originally, Native Americans were hired by white miners to prepare and extract gold on their behalf. Nevertheless, as rumors of the discovery of gold spread in the region, miners came from other areas, notably Oregon. As a result, relations between the natives and the miners began to deteriorate, an aspect which manifested itself in the rise of hostilities when the two groups clashed. Additionally, the discovery of gold sparked more excitement. The large number of immigrants wishing to benefit from gold led to an increase in population, leading to disregard for land reserves and previous treaties. One of the effects of the new immigrants was to force their way onto existing lands and force the natives to leave. Those who resisted faced further hostilities. Following the gold rush, the majority of natives were forced to leave the state while others were killed, leaving few people in the region which at one time had the largest population of Native Americans of the United States. As the number of foreigners increased in California, many of the hiding places favored by the natives were destroyed. For their part, the natives attacked the mining camps in search of food products. Instead of the state government supporting the natives, it provided support for the American miners, resulting in wars targeting the native groups. In addition to the ecological negativities caused by mining, indigenous groups have been subjected to legal disadvantages that have further deteriorated their situation. For example, in 1850, the California legislature passed the Indian Government and Protection Act which limited the right of native people to testify in court and allowed white Californians and Americans to treat native groups as indentured servants. . The imposition of American rule in California changed the fortunes of most Californians as it gradually caused them to lose their land, authority, and power. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war between the United States and Mexico and granted Californians full American citizenship in addition to guaranteeing respect for indigenous peoples..