Question

Why did John Sutter want to keep the news of the discovery of gold quiet?



WRITER

Answer 1

John Sutter wanted to keep the discovery at Sutter’s Mill (1848) quiet because an uncontrolled gold rush would destroy the orderly colony and labor system he had built. His business relied on a stable workforce (including Native laborers) and on running farms, mills and trading posts; a mass influx of prospectors would draw away workers, invite squatters and violence, and wreck his property and plans. He also hoped to retain control of the site so he could exploit the find himself rather than have claim jumpers and chaos take over. Despite his efforts to hush it up, the news leaked and triggered the Gold Rush.