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Discovery of Sutter's Mill
Launched the gold mining frenzy. Caused hordes of people to migrate to the area in hopes of finding wealth -
California Becomes Territory
California officially becomes United States territory with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ends the Mexican-American War by transferring nearly half of Mexico's lands to the United States. -
Newspaper Reports Gold
The Californian newspaper in San Francisco reports for the first time on the gold discovery in the Sierra, but most San Franciscans remain skeptical of the report. -
Gold News Spreads East
San Francisco's California Star newspaper prints a six-page special edition, for distribution in the eastern states, touting "immensely rich" gold mines in California. -
Gold Announced in San Francisco
San Francisco merchant Samuel Brannan runs through the streets of the city, waving a quinine bottle full of gold while shouting "Gold, gold, gold from the American River!" -
New York Herald Reports Gold
The New York Herald becomes the first major eastern newspaper to tout the discovery gold in California. -
First Gold Ship Departs
The first gold ship, bearing $500,000 bound for the United States Mint, sails from San Francisco. -
President James Polk Confirms Gold
President James K. Polk confirms the discovery of gold in California in an address to Congress, touching off a migration of hundreds of thousands of men hopeful of striking it rich in the goldfields.
