Drift off to the complete history of the California Gold Rush. When James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in January 1848, it set off one of the greatest mass migrations in American history — transforming California from a backwater territory to a thriving state in just a few years.

Covered: The discovery at Sutter's Mill, the 49ers, routes to California by land and sea, the boom towns and San Francisco's transformation, Chinese immigrants and discrimination, the decline of the Gold Rush, and its lasting impact on California and the American West.

✦ 2.5-hour deep dive ✦ Calming narration ✦ American history for sleep

Sleepless History is an educational sleep podcast covering American history, frontier exploration, and major historical events — made to help you fall asleep.