The gold fields had been the homes of many Indians such as the Maidu, Miwok, Nisenan, and Yokuts. The miners took over their land and delivered disease to the Indians. They also ruined their food supplies, so the starving Indians stole food Then the miners killed many of them.
When almost all the gold was gone, hydraulic mining was invented that damaged the land. It once was used by a miner and caused a rock slide that killed a whole Indian tribe. By 1880, over 5,400 Indians had died.
Gold miners in the gold fields made up their own rules that didn’t give everyone equal rights. American miners were jealous of foreigners (especially Mexicans and Chinese). They made the foreigners pay more taxes. About 10,000 Mexicans returned home to Mexico. During the Gold Rush, half of the taxes paid were paid by the Chinese. Read more about the Chinese in the Gold Rush.
By Elisabeth, Adam