The California gold rush was started by the discovery of gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848. This was one of the most significant events to shape American history during 19th century. As news of the gold spread, thousands of prospective gold miners traveled to San Francisco and the surrounding area. By the end of 1849, the non-native population of the California territory was some 100,000. A total of $2 billion worth of precious metal was extracted from the area during the Gold Rush, which peaked in 1852.
In 1862, the Pacific Railroad Act chartered the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroad Companies, and tasked them with building a transcontinental railroad that would link the United States from east to west. Over the next seven years, the two companies would race toward each other from …show more content…
Tensions between the two groups had been rising since the discovery of gold on Native American lands. When a number of tribes missed a federal deadline to move to reservations, the U.S. Army, including Custer and his 7th Calvary, was dispatched to confront them. Custer was unaware of the number of Indians fighting under the command of Sitting Bull (c.1831-90) at Little Bighorn, and his forces were outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed in what became known as Custer’s Last Stand.
Wounded Knee, located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, was the site of two conflicts between North American Indians and representatives of the U.S. government. An 1890 massacre left some 150Native Americans dead, in what were the final clash between federal troops and the Sioux. In 1973,members of the American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee for 71 days to protest conditions on the
In 1862, the Pacific Railroad Act chartered the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroad Companies, and tasked them with building a transcontinental railroad that would link the United States from east to west. Over the next seven years, the two companies would race toward each other from …show more content…
Tensions between the two groups had been rising since the discovery of gold on Native American lands. When a number of tribes missed a federal deadline to move to reservations, the U.S. Army, including Custer and his 7th Calvary, was dispatched to confront them. Custer was unaware of the number of Indians fighting under the command of Sitting Bull (c.1831-90) at Little Bighorn, and his forces were outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed in what became known as Custer’s Last Stand.
Wounded Knee, located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, was the site of two conflicts between North American Indians and representatives of the U.S. government. An 1890 massacre left some 150Native Americans dead, in what were the final clash between federal troops and the Sioux. In 1973,members of the American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee for 71 days to protest conditions on the