Final answer:
The Forty-niners were individuals who traveled to California during the Gold Rush in search of gold. They differed from other migrants in that their main goal was to quickly find wealth through gold prospecting.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Forty-niners were individuals who traveled to California in 1849 during the California Gold Rush in hopes of finding gold. They were different from other western migrants in that their primary motivation was to seek their fortune quickly through gold prospecting, rather than through homestead farming or other means of settlement.
The Forty-niners came from various backgrounds and locations, including White Americans, European immigrants, African Americans, and even Chinese immigrants who were drawn to the Gold Rush.