Social Impact
The California Gold Rush caused a huge immigration to California, by persons seeking gold and otherwise wishing to benefit from the economic boom that was created. As the immigration occurred, it destroyed several Native American cultures.
It is also accelerated California's admission into the Union as a state. Except for the original 13 colonies and for Texas, California is the only state that was not first a territory. Congress' fear was that if it did not act quickly, California might voluntarily align itself with Britain (which controlled present-day Washington State and Oregon to the North) or Russia (which then controlled Alaska).
A further social impact was that the increasing population in California (and other parts of the territories recently acquired from Mexico during the Mexican War) touched off a debate over whether slavery should be permitted in the new territory. California was admitted as a free state, but the question continued as to the remaining territory. The controversy could not be resolved, and the Civil War was eventually the result.
It is also accelerated California's admission into the Union as a state. Except for the original 13 colonies and for Texas, California is the only state that was not first a territory. Congress' fear was that if it did not act quickly, California might voluntarily align itself with Britain (which controlled present-day Washington State and Oregon to the North) or Russia (which then controlled Alaska).
A further social impact was that the increasing population in California (and other parts of the territories recently acquired from Mexico during the Mexican War) touched off a debate over whether slavery should be permitted in the new territory. California was admitted as a free state, but the question continued as to the remaining territory. The controversy could not be resolved, and the Civil War was eventually the result.