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Early California History

Early California History. Pre-European California . 400,000 Native Americans small bands, linguistically diverse mostly peaceful technologically and politically primitive. Europeans Arrive--1500s. The legend of Queen Califia Cabrillo and Drake explore the coast.

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Early California History

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  1. Early California History

  2. Pre-European California • 400,000 Native Americans • small bands, linguistically diverse • mostly peaceful • technologically and politically primitive

  3. Europeans Arrive--1500s • The legend of Queen Califia • Cabrillo and Drake explore the coast

  4. Spanish settlement of Alta California--1770-1821 • Junipero Serra’s Franciscans found 21 missions and the military establish 4 presidios to strengthen Spain’s claim– against, Britain, US, and Russia.

  5. Mexican Period 1821-48 • Mexican independence from Spain • Discontinuing support for missions • Establishing a “nobility” based on land grant ranchos • 1846 “Bear Flag” rebellion

  6. From Mexico to US • Mexican-American War breaks out in 1846 over annexation of Texas • Mexico forced to cede California and much of the West for about $15,000,000.

  7. Mexican perspective: los ninos heroes de Chapultepec

  8. Gold Rush 1849 • population booms 30 fold in 6 years and becomes 80% Euro-American

  9. Statehood • Military governor of CA initiates a constitutional convention in 1849 • Leading Californios continue to play major political role • New Constitution recognizes their land grants, and recognizes both English and Spanish as official languages • Accepted into the Union as a free state--1850

  10. Transcontinental railroad completed 1877 • Opens CA to the East • Rise of Southern Pacific Railroad as dominant force in politics and economy

  11. The Big Four--Stanford, Huntington, Crocker, and Hopkins • Stanford served as Governor, then Senator, but all four partners “ran” CA in the late 19th century

  12. Resentment • Great Railroad Strike of 1877 • SF had a tradition of powerful working class • Denis Kearney leads the Workingmen’s Party against SPR’s power and abuses • But also against the 1000s of Chinese workers brought over to work in mines and then the railroad for a fraction of what was paid whites • riot of 1877--launderies burned, etc.

  13. Kearney and Workingmen’s Party

  14. Anti-Asian sentiment • New constitution of 1879 gave all local governments the power to exclude or restrict where Chinese lived and forbade their employment • Federal Exclusion Act of 1882 • restricting immigration of Chinese laborers (later all Chinese) • similar restrictions for Japanese and eventually Filippinos

  15. Great Depression 1930-40 • 100,000s of dustbowl refugees migrate here • "California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see But believe it or not, you won't find it so hot If you ain't got the do re mi." • Okie culture

  16. 1934 Governor’s race • Former socialist and author of The Jungle, Upton Sinclair, runs for office as a Democrat and New Dealer on EPIC platform • Is smeared in first professional media campaign

  17. Growing Radicalism of the Depression era • unions organize and strike--previously the “Wobblies,” now the Communist Party among others • Over 50 strikes of farm workers in 1933

  18. Salinas strike of 1934-36 • Growers brought over Filipinos to work in fields after WWI and exclusion of Chinese and Japanese • Growers split striking Filipino lettuce pickers from white shed workers

  19. San Francisco General Strike 1934 • Strike shuts down shipping on West Coast • Entire Bay Area is shut down for 3 day General Strike after police force picketing longshoremen to allow in “scabs”

  20. Again, economic downturn leads to greater xenophobia • 100,000s of Mexicans are pushed out or deported • anti-Filipino riots break out, and they are “invited” to leave under the Filipino Repatriation Act of 1935

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