Three way's California changed because the gold rush was, California gained population, causing a permanent change in government. Also, San Francisco became the center of banking, shipping, trade, and manufacturing. Most important, because of California's new grand population, California became a free state in 1850. The Gold Rush significantly influenced the history of California and the United States. It created a lasting impact by propelling significant industrial and agricultural development and helped shape the course of California's development by spurring its economic growth and facilitating its transition to statehood.