Gold Rush, Law + Order

• The population of the west coast territory of California was 8,000 people


  1846
• The population of the west coast territory of California had swollen to 120,000


  1850
• The population of the west coast territory of California had swollen to 300,000

  1855
• Gold was discovered in California in 1849, leading to a gold rush
• Gold prospectors followed California law about staking a claim to find gold
• Claim jumpers stole claims from other miners during the gold rush
• Salting a claim involved sprinkling gold flakes on worthless land to deceive inexperienced prospectors
• Road agents robbed miners of their gold during the gold rush
• Prostitution and gambling were common in male-dominated mining camps during the gold rush
• Drunken fights erupted in mining camps due to the scarcity of women and cultural differences among prospectors
• Prospectors were usually armed with guns to protect themselves during the gold rush
• Cultural and racial differences among prospectors led to conflicts during the gold rush
• When a territory reached a population of 5,000 people, a sheriff could be elected for a county
• The population of San Francisco grew from 1,000 people to 25,000 people


  1849
• 20,000 Chinese migrants arrived in San Francisco fleeing famine


  1852
• Vigilante groups acted in racist ways during the gold rush
• Federal officers like U.S. Marshals were appointed to address crime during the gold rush
• San Franciscans formed vigilance committees to enforce law and order themselves due to perceived lack of action by federal authorities
• California became a state when the population reached 60,000, allowing for the creation of state laws and law enforcement
• Vigilance committees captured and dealt with individuals during the gold rush, including deportations and hangings
• Challenges faced by vigilance committees officials

  • Had to cover 200 square miles traveling by horse
  • Little training
  • Less money
  • Some federal officials became corrupt
• Vigilantes were often the first on the scene


  However, they often hanged people without a fair trial
• Vigilantes being feared

  Hoped to deter people from committing crimes
• Contributions of mass migration from the gold rush

  • New crimes like claim jumping
  • Social unrest
  • Unemployment
  • More crimes like theft, assault, and murder
  • Disorderly lifestyle
  • Male communities with alcohol and prostitution
  • New ethnic mix leading to tensions
• Corruption or bribing of some law officers by criminals


  Resulted in community laws and law enforcement by vigilance committees
• People did not trust official law enforcement to apply the law in a fair and just way
• Population of California exploded from eight thousand to three hundred thousand in nine years from 1848
• Main gold rush was in 1849
• Increased population, failed minors, racism, and lack of law enforcement led to huge problems with law and order
• Local people took the law into their own hands forming vigilance committees
• Vigilantes were often effective but could often be unjust as well, killing people without a fair trial