This comprehensive narrative history of the California Gold Rush describes daily life during this historic period, documenting its wide-reaching effects and examining the significant individuals and organizations of the time. It is easy to see the vestiges of the California Gold Rush in the state's modern culture. The San Francisco 49ers football team are named after the term given to those who flocked to California in 1849 in search of gold; California is nicknamed "The Golden State;" and the official state motto is "Eureka" meaning "I have found it" in Greek-a reference to mining success. But the Gold Rush was not only a pivotal event with lasting impact in California; it also greatly affected America as a whole and global society. This book examines the historical significances of the California Gold Rush, beginning with life in California prior to the Gold Rush and European colonization and concluding with information regarding contemporary California. Readers will gain historical insights from the highly detailed explorations of how life in California evolved and understand the enormous impact of an event over 160 years ago on present-day America. Contains excerpts from California Gold Rush diaries and California Gold Rush era publications Provides a chronology of the events leading up to the Gold Rush, the event itself, and the greater outgrowth of historical change afterwards Includes maps distinguishing the location of the mining towns during the California Gold Rush as well as provocative vintage images from the Gold Rush era An extensive bibliography provides primary and secondary sources on the Gold Rush A comprehensive glossary defines Gold Rush terms

Thirty years have passed since President Nixon's resignation, yet, the impact of the "Watergate" scandal continues to affect the institutional power of the American chief executive. Through documents and analytical essays, this timely collection places the Watergate crisis in perspective, providing a cogent and balanced analysis of the development and consequences of an event that has overshadowed Nixon's legacy and permanently altered the country's perceptions of politics. Watergate threatened the very constitutional order of the nation, and continues to this day to affect the public's attitudes about the presidency, America's political culture, the mass media's coverage of politics, the separation of powers, and the investigation of high-level misconduct in the federal government. Twelve topical essays written by presidential scholars cover these themes and examine the impact of the crisis over time. Primary source materials, including transcripts from oral interviews, Nixon's speeches, letters, the infamous Watergate tapes, excerpts from testimony and hearings in Congress, the proposed articles of impeachment, and more are all put in context with explanatory headnotes. Watergate and the Resignation of Richard Nixon will explain: How public opinion and attitudes about politics changed after Watergate How the balance of power between the three branches of government has been altered by the crisis How succeeding presidents have been affected by the legacy of Watergate Why mass media coverage of politics changed after Watergate What impact the crisis had on America's relations with the rest of the world.