In 1848, US President James K. Polk sparks the 1849 Gold Rush by certifying a gold find in California.
People had previously made false claims that they had discovered gold, thus the Gold Rush did not begin until December 1848, when President James Polk backed up the discovery. The prospect of getting wealthy by collecting gold nuggets from the ground was akin to trying to win the lottery! Prospectors arrived from all over the world to try their luck in 1849. A few people made a tiny fortune. Others returned home destitute. Many instead made a livelihood by operating stores, saloons, laundries, and boarding houses, resulting in the formation of towns and communities that still exist in California.
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