California was recognized as a state two years after the precious yellow metal was discovered. A large influx of whites in the region led to the devastation of agricultural lands that were in use for centuries by the local natives. Although the initial influx of miners was greeted with pleasure because an increase in population in the region would automatically mean that there would be increased demands for food and other crops, later on, the natives realized the widespread destruction that was being caused to the farmlands due to increased settlements and industrialization in the region.