Title: The Positive and Negative Impacts of the California Gold Rush of the 1849 on Westward Expansion in the United States: [Essay Example], 560 words GradesFixer
Headings: The Positive and Negative Impacts of the California Gold Rush of the 1849 on Westward Expansion in the United States
The Positive and Negative Impacts of the California Gold Rush of the 1849 on Westward Expansion in the United States
Remember: This is just a sample from a fellow student.

Content: The opening of the Transcontinental Railroad a few years after the Gold Rush, which allowed people to easily travel from east to west, was financed by money of the gold rush. Therefore, the 1849 Gold Rush had a positive impact by furthering westward. However, the rapid increase in population also had its negative impact on westward expansion. Due to the large amount of people immigrating west, the amount of gold gradually started to decrease, and therefore, only a relatively small number of people managed to get rich. So, this hindered western expansion with the problem of poor local workers and farmers as the basis of society with the rich middle class on top. Therefore, it created a social hierarchy where government and economic developments were slowed down. Despite the initial stimulation of economy, such financial success was short-lived, as the rapid mining of gold created a monetary instability between gold and silver, leading to hyper inflation as the economy gradually started to disintegrate. Consequently, financial problems arose in the state of California, creating difficulties for the people residing the area, leaving a negative impact on westward expansion. Also, the rapid immigration to the west after the discovery of gold caused Native Americans to be either killed or pushed out of their territories, aiding westward expansion through the concept of Manifest Destiny. With the belief that it was justified to remove Indians from their homelands to make space for white people, the rapid decrease in Native American population, although usually considered negative, was actually helping westward expansion.