What was the name of the 1848 discovery that began the California Gold Rush?

The 1848 discovery that began the California Gold Rush was gold found at Sutter’s Mill.

On January 24, 1848, carpenter James W. Marshall discovered gold while building a sawmill for John Sutter near Coloma, in the Mexican territory that soon became part of the United States. News of the discovery spread during the following months.

The rush accelerated in 1849 after newspapers and travelers publicized the find. Tens of thousands of people came to California from the eastern United States and overseas. These migrants became known as “forty-niners,” although many arrived after 1849.

The discovery rapidly transformed California’s population, economy, and politics. California entered the Union as a state in 1850. The rush also brought devastating consequences for Native Californians, including violence, displacement, disease, and the destruction of established communities.