California Gold Rush

Gold rush from 1848 to 1855

Disasters & Accidents

California Gold Rush — Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

What happened

On April 27, 1857, the SS Central America, a 278-foot steamship, sank in a hurricane off the coast of South Carolina, resulting in the loss of 425 lives...

Date

April 27, 1857

Key people

William Herndon

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed and nuanced account of the sinking of the SS Central America, including the events leading up to the disaster, the tragedy itself, and the aftermath.

What was California Gold Rush?

The California gold rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush in California, which began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people from the rest of the United States and abroad to California, which had recently been conquered from Mexico. The sudden influx of gold into the money supply reinvigorated the American economy; the sudden population increase allowed California to grow rapidly into statehood in the Compromise of 1850. The gold rush had severe effects on Native Californians and accelerated the Native American population's decline from factors including disease, starvation, and according to certain sources, acts of unprovoked aggression. The effects of the gold rush were substantial.

Background and consequences

The arrival of large numbers of "forty-niners" (referring to 1849, the peak year for gold rush immigration) led to significant conflict between the newcomers and indigenous people, eventually resulting in whole tribes being displaced in some cases. Outside of California, the first to arrive were from Oregon, Hawaii, and Latin America in late 1848.

Advertisement about sailing to California, c. 1850

Related on thisDay

SS Central America Sinking — April 27, 1857

425 lives lost as the SS Central America sank in a 1857 hurricane off South Carolina's coast, a devastating disaster that occurred

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: SS Central America Sinking — April 27, 1857 Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“California Gold Rush.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/california-gold-rush/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

California Gold Rush. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/california-gold-rush/

Chicago

“California Gold Rush.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/california-gold-rush/.

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