The California Gold Rush began in 1848. This transformed California into a rapidly growing state. The Gold Rush hurt Native Americans. The people who already lived on these lands never knew that the minerals found in their water and soil were valuable. They were forced to leave their land and struggled to survive in the face of the sudden influx of people. (“The Gold Rush” 191-193) The gold rush was mainly beneficial, but also tarnished relations with the natives. Buffalo was an integral part of Native American culture. The whites massacred the buffalo, allowing the population of this creature to dwindle. The Plains tribes were generally peaceful, but white settlers and explorers disrupted them and their way of life. (“Plains Indian Wars” 1235) The Americans were very greedy as they moved west, which led to a lot of Native American conflict. The Homestead Act of 1862 provided 160 acres of land to families and individuals whose head of household was at least twenty-one years old. Although this offer was very tempting, once people moved west, the land was often mountainous and rocky, impossible to farm. The settlers sold the land to pioneers eager to find gold and left in search of better farmland due to these conditions. (“Homestead Act” 704-706) This encouraged people to move west, even with the disadvantages of the geography of much of the territory. The lack of natural resources has caused many problems, but has also benefited the country by creating wealth and attracting people from other countries to