-discovery of gold by merchant, word rapidly spreads

-sees runaway settlement of people to San Francisco as well as a gold country in the valley area

-settlement of

-Americans

-majority of people

-especially from New England

-but also quite a few people from Upper South

-both of whom cut paths of settlement

-Chileans

-from the Pacific

-Mexicans

-Brits

-settlers from Columbia-Alaska Confederation

-as well as from Republic of Australia

-Chinese

-Filipinos

-thanks to Philippine Republic being under Spanish rule

-intentionally brought in to avoid anglo domination

-Italians, Germans

-Spanish intentionally finance mass migration of both to weaken Anglo domination of the area

-results in San Francisco and gold country becoming Anglo dominated

-and rather Americanized

-but with a sizeable Hispanic minority heavily influenced by Chilean culture

-this is the center of Buenaventura as a whole

-discovery of silver in [Virginia City]

-results in a pretty large silver rush which is heavily connected to San Francisco

-again, government of Spain powerless to stop Californians from migrating there

-Spain tries to stop yet more Anglo settlers by instituting mining licenses (clearly biased in favor of its supporters)

-causes rebellion, minors saying oath to a flag (now Buenaventuran flag today)

-jeered as Comuneros by the Spanish, the independentists adopt the name in reference to the Comunero Revolt and their fight for autonomy

-fly purple flags in honor of them, and to invoke their imagery

-also fly Crosses of Burgundy in memorial of its perceived legacy of autonomism, the two are combined to create a yellow saltire on a purple background