▁California ▁ ▁passed ▁a ▁law ▁that ▁allowed ▁whites ▁to ▁ens lave ▁N atives ▁who ▁were ▁found ▁or phan ed ▁or ▁' lo iter ing '. ▁ ▁Ens lav ement ▁of ▁Native ▁people ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Sp ani ards ▁and ▁Cal if or ni os ▁who ▁preced ed ▁the ▁Gold ▁R ush . ▁After ▁the ▁Gold ▁R ush , ▁b ount ies ▁were ▁offered ▁for ▁" Ind ian ▁hun ters " ▁who ▁could ▁prove ▁they ▁had ▁killed ▁a ▁Native ▁by ▁bringing ▁in ▁a ▁body ▁part . ▁The ▁Indian ▁population ▁of ▁California ▁fell ▁from ▁ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁when ▁gold ▁was ▁discovered ▁to ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁Some ▁N atives ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁ ▁escape ▁ex termin ation ▁ ▁by ▁passing ▁as ▁Mex icans . ▁▁ ▁St ories ▁of ▁mass ac res , ▁forced ▁re location , ▁and ▁kid n app ings ▁have ▁been ▁passed ▁down ▁through ▁the ▁gener ations , ▁often ▁by ▁women , ▁ ▁and ▁are ▁still ▁remembered ▁by ▁California ▁Native ▁people ▁today . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁. ▁ ▁. ▁ ▁. ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁. ▁ ▁D ame ▁Sh ir ley , ▁Mar l ene ▁Smith - Bar anz ini , ▁The ▁Sh ir ley ▁Let ters ▁from ▁the ▁California ▁M ines , ▁ 1 8 5 1 - 1 8 5 2 , ▁He yd ay , ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁The