More than 20 years after mountain men Jedediah Smith arrived, California was invaded by thousands seeking to make their fortunes in the goldfields. Most traveling overland headed west along the Oregon Trails before turning south and west, following what became known as the California Trail. As the Donner Party discovered, it was a dangerous journey.
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From the book Voices from Colonial America: California, 1542-1850, published by National Geographic Society © 2006
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