# California Gold Rush (1848)

URL: https://allhistories.com/usa/timeline/1848-california-gold-rush
Location: California
Themes: main-event

The 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill triggered a mass migration of "forty-niners," accelerating California's statehood in 1850.

## Why it matters
Transformed the West's economy and population and sped westward settlement.

Who Was in Power: [James K. Polk](https://allhistories.com/usa/rulers/james-k-polk)

## Sources
- [HistoryNet – Westward Expansion](https://historynet.com/westward-expansion/)