Native Americans Before the Gold Rush
Prior to the Gold Rush, California was home to a great deal of Native Americans. California was a terrific environment to live in, as it had a mild climate and plenty of sources of food. For this reason, this area was appealing to many, and was densely populated with Native Americans. In fact, in 1845, approximately 150,000 Native Americans lived in California. In addition to being large, this group of Native Americans was also extremely culturally diverse. Multiple Native American tribes, such as the Maidu, Nisenan, Koukow, Miwok, Pomo, Yokuts, and Yalesumni, lived there (Sonneborn 10, Part II, Native Californian).
Native Americans in this area were a society that had been around for centuries. As a result of the plentiful environment, they were extremely self-sufficient, and typically lived in small, isolated tribal groups. In general, they supported themselves by simply living off the land, and activities such as hunting, gathering, and fishing were common. Native Americans deeply cared about preserving their abundant land. James Rawls, a historian, states that the Native Americans "...Were able to manage those resources very respectfully, very creatively, and to sustain their lives in an amazing degree of peace and harmony." Overall, Native Americans in California before the Gold Rush valued their land and culture, and lived very simple, peaceful, pleasant lives (Gold, Greed, & Genocide, Sonneborn 10, Rawles).