Weboverview of the california gold rush, the rapid influx of fortune seekers in california that began after gold was found at sutterβs mill on the american river in early. Webthousands of new immigrants pushed the native populations off their land, depriving them of their hunting grounds. Violent confrontations broke out and the newcomers. Webin 1849, thousands of people from around the world began to follow and the california gold rush had begun. The fantasy of instant wealth caused a massive influx of people. Webthe california gold rush was the mass migration of americans and others to california in search of gold, which was discovered at sutterβs mill in 1848.