The History of California 4th Grade CA History – Lesson 3

In the beginning… The First Californians The first people to occupy the area that today is California arrived about 11,000 B.C. from the north. They were hunters who followed herds of animals for their food. Many different Native American tribes settled in California because the land was rich with resources and the weather was pleasant. The tribes had different languages, beliefs, and practices, yet they all lived peacefully and called California home. The Native American groups living in California included the Hupa, the Maidu, the Quechan, the Ohlone, the Pomo, the Cahuilla, the Paiutes, and others. Only a few of these Native Americans tribes have survived into the 21st century.

Where did the tribes live?

How did the tribes modify or adapt to their environment? Native Americans were very careful to change the environment as little as possible. The tribes modified the environment by using once open land for farmland and by cutting down trees to build homes and for firewood. Otherwise, they left much of the land the way it had been since the beginning of time. When the tribes settled in California, the people had to adapt to their new environment. The tribes in the Northwest adjusted to living in the forest by using the large trees to make homes and canoes for travel. In the desert areas, the Ute-Chemehuevi and others adapted to their dry climate by moving around in order to get the resources they needed. In some cases, the tribes changed their diets and hunted the animals that lived in their area, which sometimes included lizards.

What did the tribes eat? All of the tribes in California used the acorn as a food source. The tribes would pick or gather the acorn. Acorns were then mashed, boiled, and added to different food dishes. Other food sources changed depending on the area in which the tribe lived. Coastal tribes ate fish and other seafood. Tribes that were able to farm grew some of their food. Deer, rabbits, and other game could be found most of the regions.

What were the tribes' economies based on? The economy of the tribe was based on where the tribe lived. Tribes in the Southeast of CA often grew much of their food, this meant these tribes had agricultural based economies. Other tribes had economies that were based on money systems. The Chumash and other coastal tribes often used seashells as money.

Were the tribes warlike or peaceful? The geography of the land helped keep the tribes separate. For example, the Sierra Nevada Mountains were too hard to travel over or through, which caused many tribes to stay in their own area. A plentiful amount of natural resources was another reason the native tribes of California rarely fought. Most of the tribes had plenty of resources in their area to provide for their needs. As a result there was little to cause a major war.

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/indianlocation.htm

Learning Wrap-up & Review Study Island: 4th Grade - California Standards Mastery 2c – California Indians (Lesson & Worksheet) Answer the following question in your State History Notebook: Who were the first people to settle in CA?

Lesson Session 2

The Explorers The first European explorers came to California in the 16th century. Explorers sailed along the coast looking for a route that would connect the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean.

The Spanish The first settlers to arrive in California after the Native Americans were Spanish. In 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer sailing under the Spanish flag, was the first European to visit the region. He was sent by the Spanish government to search for a fabled island inhabited by Amazons, described in a popular Spanish novel of the times. (The name "California" came from a knightly romance book that was published in 1510. It was about an island paradise near the Indies where beautiful Queen Califia ruled over a country of beautiful black Amazons with lots of pearls and gold. Men were only allowed there one day a year to help perpetuate the race.) Cabrillo found no Amazons, but he named the area “California” after the fictional story.

The Russians Russia had some small settlements for the purpose of whaling and fur trapping in Northern California, but did not attempt to establish colonies except in very isolated areas.

The English The fight for California began almost 500 years ago. England began to realize the value of California. England did not want the country of Spain claiming more land in the new world and upsetting the balance of power between the super powers of the time. In 1579, Sir Francis Drake, sailing for England, anchored his ship the Golden Hind, near what is today San Francisco Bay. Drake claimed the area for Queen Elizabeth I and called it New Albion, or New England, but the English never colonized the area.

Spain take 2! In 1602, Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno embarked from Spain with a fleet of six ships. Vizcaíno sailed up the California coast. He was sent by the viceroy of New Spain to find harbors for Spanish ships on their way back to Mexico from the Philippines. He made very detailed maps of the coast of California. He also named many places in California including San Diego, Santa Catalina, Santa Barbara, and Monterey Bay.

Spain’s “Sacred Expedition” In 1769, Gaspar de Portolá was chosen to lead the "Sacred Expedition" to California. The goal of this expedition was to set up the first Spanish settlements in what is now California. There were two ships and two land parties that were part of the expedition. During this expedition, missions and presidios were started at San Diego and Monterey. Father Juan Crespi and Father Junípero Serra, both Franciscan friars, were part of this expedition.

Learning Wrap-up & Review Study Island: 4th Grade - California Standards Mastery 2d – European Exploration and Settlement (Lesson & Worksheet) Answer the following question in your State History Notebook: Who was the first European explorer to come to California?

Jeopardy! Authentic Assessment: Students will demonstrate lesson mastery by participating in a Jeopardy game that reviews the Native American tribes that settled in California and the early explorers and discoverers of the state. The game will be built using power point and played during an Elluminate session.

Lesson Session 3

Spanish Colonization The Spanish first explored California in the 16th century, but it was not until the 18th century that they built settlements. The Spanish established their presence by building a chain of missions along the coast. They also built military forts and a few towns. Later, ranching became a very important economic activity.

The Mission Period The first Spanish colonizing trip, the "Sacred Expedition," left Spain in 1769. Father Junípero Serra, a Franciscan friar, led the expedition. Serra was persuaded by the Spanish governor of Baja California (now part of Mexico) to build a string of missions. In 1769, Father Serra founded the first mission in San Diego, followed the next year by another mission in Monterey. By 1823, there were 21 missions along the coast between San Diego and Sonoma. According to plan, each mission was a day's walk (30 miles, or 48 kilometers) from the next. These missions were connected by a road called El Camino Real or the "Royal Road."

CA Mission Tour Webtour – Elluminate Web Push/Tour http://www.thecaliforniamissions.com/

Life in the CA Missions One of the main goals of the missions was to convert Native Americans to Catholicism. After Native Americans became Catholic, they would live and work on missions. The missions had large farms on which many different crops and livestock were grown. The Franciscans were the first people to grow crops such as citrus, grapes, and olives in California. The Franciscans brought these crops from Europe. These crops later became important parts of the California economy.

Effect of the Mission Period on the Native Americans The mission “movement” had an enormous effect on the native population. Many native traditions were abandoned or forbidden. As attempts to convert the natives were unsuccessful, tensions between the Indians and the Spanish heightened. Eventually, the Spanish used the missions as a means to control the Native American population and the Indians were kept in virtual slavery at some of the missions. The Spanish brought many diseases to CA that Native Americans had never been exposed to. The Native Americans did not have immunity to these diseases and thousands died from smallpox, measles, and other illnesses.

Presidios The Spanish built four military forts or “presidios” in California. The presidios were built to serve as protection for missions that were nearby. The four presidios were at San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara.

Pueblos Pueblos were towns. The first Spanish town in California was El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe. It was founded in 1777. This is now the city of San Jose. Before San Jose was founded, all Spanish settlements in California were either military posts or religious settlements.

Ranchos Ranchos were large farms in California. They were owned by private individuals. The rancho system began in 1784 when the Spanish government gave Juan Jose Dominguez the land that became Rancho San Pedro. The Spanish government granted around 30 land grants. When Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, California was under the control of the Mexican government. The Mexican government continued to give individuals ranchos. Most of the ranchos in California were started during the time of Mexican rule. Raising cattle and sheep became important economic activities.

Learning Wrap-up & Review Study Island: 4th Grade - California Standards Mastery 2e – Spanish Colonization of California (Lesson & Worksheet) Complete the Spanish Colonization and Settlements Compare and Contrast Chart

Lesson Session 4

Mexican Rule in California Session outline/draft: Mexico gains control of California The end of the California Missions Mexican rule and economy Settlements in Alta California The end of Mexican control

Lesson Session 5

Gold Rush and Statehood Session outline/draft: Important people California and the Gold Rush Statehood

Learning Wrap-up & Review So much has happened in California. Create your own time line to show some of the major events. Then discover how the dates of these events relate to important dates in American history. Review the History section for California on America the Beautiful. (http://go.grolier.com/) Choose five important events in California’s history. Plot these events on your State Time Line.

Additional Lesson Resources California History Online –http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/timeline/ Timeline Maker – http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline/