When gold was found in Northern California, news of it spread like a wildfire during the spring and summer of 1848.

At first, most people thought the reports were too good to be true, but as weeks and months flew by, they heard about more people striking it rich - and imaginations started to run wild.

Tens of thousands of people started to dream about gold, and some of them left everything they knew to make the journey to California. It didn't matter if you were black, white or brown - anyone could go.

Even people in Central and South America, Australia, China, and Western Europe heard about the gold and made the journey. By 1855, hundreds of thousands of people had converged on California.

In this study, the author shares diary entries from gold seekers, painting a detailed portrait of the frenzy that overtook the world, the lives of the miners, and how the move West changed the fabric of a nation.

Without the dreams, hard work, and dedication of the miners who moved West, the United States of America would not be what it is today.