Gold Rush: The Discovery of America (2016)

The discovery of gold in Sacramento Valley in early 1848 ignited the Gold Rush, a pivotal moment in 19th-century American history. As news of the find spread, an influx of hopeful miners journeyed to San Francisco and its vicinity, swelling the non-native population from under 1,000 to around 100,000 by the end of 1849. Over the course of the Gold Rush, which peaked in 1852, approximately $2 billion in gold was mined. This engaging documentary series delves into the harrowing and inspiring tales of those who gambled everything in their quest for fortune and the elusive American Dream.