Final answer:
The correct answer is option B. James Marshall.
Step-by-step explanation:
The man credited with discovering gold on the morning of January 24, 1848, which led to the California Gold Rush, is B. James Marshall. While building a sawmill for his partner John Sutter on the south fork of California's American River, Marshall saw something glittering in the water. This discovery rapidly changed the pace of American westward expansion, culminating in the influx of the "forty-niners," individuals who migrated to California in hopes of striking it rich.
The mass migration and rapid population growth in California propelled the region towards statehood and intensified the national dialogue on slavery and western development. The Gold Rush also inspired subsequent mining booms in areas like Nevada, where the Comstock Lode would later yield vast amounts of silver.