The California Gold Rush significantly influenced the history of California and the United States. It created a lasting impact by boosting industrial and agricultural development and helped set the course of California's development by spurring its economic growth and transition to statehood.

The Gold Rush also helped foreign businesses as they expanded the export of their goods and services to booming new consumer markets in California attracting dreamers and adventurers from all over the symbolizing what came to be known as the American Dream. In fact, many scholars have drawn parallels between the spirit of the Gold Rush and the ongoing technological and entrepreneurial boom n the area known as the Silicon Valley.

The effects of the Gold Rush can still be observed in California. The state's slogan, "Eureka!" which means "I found it!" is a nod to Gold Rush. And the area where it all began, Scarmento, the home of Sutter's Mill, became the state's capital.

There is a lot to learn about this amazing time in history, so join us as we pan through the good, the bad, and the shiny...in today's episode: The California Gold Rush.