The gold rush occurred between 1849 and 1874 in California, where over a billion dollars' worth of gold was unearthed. There was an influx of people hoping to benefit from this fortune which influenced the economic, social and political development of California. James Marshall first discovered gold in Coloma and it was initially treated as a secret, however it was later leaked by workers working at the sawmill. Rumors of the availability of gold spread further, increasing the number of adventurers in the area. California's industrialization was born from the discovery of gold, but there were several individuals who paid the ultimate price for this achievement. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Among the negative effects of the gold rush, the most widespread have to be the environmental effects, which can still be seen today. Gold mining was carried out using high-pressure hoses used to wash hillsides, causing mercury to trap available gold, but allowing the soil to be removed. The mountains were stripped of their sediments and vegetation, while other pieces of land were washed away. There has been an adjustment in the environmental conditions of the region due to this unnatural method of erosion. The use of hydraulic-mining was one of the aspects that made industrialization expensive from the point of view of environmental conservation. For example, mercury released during this process was recirculated into the atmosphere, water, and soil. Additionally, rivers and streams were diverted from their natural paths to mining sites as far north as the state. This method has affected marine life to the point that California fish have been noted to contain significant amounts of mercury which have adverse health effects on the local population. Related to environmental degradation was the creation of forty-nine residents in California, which included hastily developed villages, towns, and other settlements. Although permanent towns still exist today, many villages were abandoned at the end of the gold rush. The negative impact of California's need to diversify its industrialization away from gold-generated revenue could also be seen in agricultural settlements. Although farming communities benefited from greater economic prosperity during the Gold Rush as demand for food among miners increased, new settlements impacted farmland while mining activities compromised the quality of farmland . The construction of dams, such as the English Dam located in Nevada County, has had positive effects on the reservoir and water supply in California. However, the dams, which were intended to aid the water supply of the gold mines, brought significant changes to the river courses. In addition to agricultural operations being threatened in the Central Valley due to clogged lakes and riverbeds, conflicts between agricultural and mining interests have also emerged. The Sawyer Decision of 1884 was established to resolve the conflict and end hydraulic mining. Another major problem caused by gold mining was the high demand for timber, which was needed to fuel the boilers used in the mines, as well as the construction of extensive canal systems. The increased demand for timber led to the creation of the logging industry, which in turn led to the massive destruction of forests, lowering the level of agricultural practices. The gold rush period from 1848to 1855 it caused environmental damage that is still not fully analyzed today. Explosives used during underground mining produced tons of crushed stone and toxic materials that remain harmful to California's water sources. According to Elizabeth Martin, executive director of a Nevada-based environmental group known as the Sierra Fund, California is very concerned about the level of mercury emitted from gold mining, as it was used to extract gold from stones and quartz. Similarly, it has been observed that, once mentholated, mercury becomes biologically available and, once accumulated in food products, it becomes dangerous to health. An investigation conducted in Nevada County by the U.S. Geological Survey found significant levels of mercury in fish, higher than those considered safe for human consumption by the Environmental Protection Agency. Not only did the gold rush have a physical impact on the land, but it also affected those who had originally lived there. The discovery of gold in California was initially not opposed by Native Americans, as they did not recognize negative implications on the area and social development. Originally, Native Americans were hired by white miners to prepare and sift gold for them. However, as rumors of the discovery of gold spread throughout the region, miners arrived from other areas, especially Oregon. As a result, the relationship between the natives and the miners began to deteriorate, an aspect that was typified by escalating hostilities as the two groups clashed. Furthermore, the discovery of gold sparked more excitement. The large volume of immigrants who wanted to benefit from gold led to an increase in the population, resulting in non-compliance with land reserves and previous treaties. One effect of the new immigrants was to force their way into existing lands and force the natives to evacuate. Those who resisted faced further hostility. As a result of the Gold Rush, most Native people were forced to leave the state while others were killed, leaving few people in the area that once had the largest Native American population in the United States. As the number of foreigners in California increased, most of the hideouts prized by the natives were destroyed. For their part, the indigenous people raided the mining camps in search of food. Instead of supporting Native people, the state government supported American miners, resulting in war parties that targeted Native groups. In addition to the ecological negatives caused by mining, indigenous groups were subjected to legal disadvantages that further worsened their situation. For example, in 1850, the California legislature passed the Indian Government and Protection Act which limited the right of Native people to testify in court and allowed white Californians and Americans to treat Native groups as indentured servants. The imposition of American rule in California changed the fortunes of most Californians as it gradually caused them to lose land, authority, and power. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war between the United States and Mexico and gave Californians full citizenship of the United States as well as guaranteeing natives respect for their property. However, due to the informality of Mexican land grants, it was not possible for the natives after squatters, miners, and homesteaders raided the Californians' lands and properties. The ecological impact triggered by the California Gold Rush also influenced the social development of the region. As indicated above, the indigenous population.