The event that significantly impacted Native American populations in the Basin and Range Province was the Gold Rush.

The Gold Rush, particularly during the mid-19th century, led to a massive influx of settlers and miners into the Basin and Range Province, especially in areas like California and Nevada. This sudden population increase disrupted the traditional lifestyles of Native American tribes, leading to displacement from their ancestral lands. Conflicts over resources, such as water and grazing land, became common, resulting in violence and the forced removal of many Indigenous communities. The Gold Rush not only altered the demographics of the region but also had lasting effects on the cultural and social structures of Native American populations in the Basin and Range.