chronology excerpted from California: A History (Starr 2005)

Physical Geography Mt ShastaModoc Plateau CascadesSierra Nevada Coast RangesCentral Valley Lake TahoeMono Lake San Francisco BayMonterey Bay Sacramento RiverSan Joaquin River Big SurSalinas River Transverse Ranges Owens ValleyDeath Valley Mojave DesertColorado River OregonNevadaArizona Salton SeaBaja California

Lithosphere Geologic history and plate tectonics

Direction of Pacific Ocean currents

Atmosphere Climate and weather patterns Cool wet winters Hot dry summers

Hydrosphere California watersheds Major rivers include Sacramento San Joaquin Salinas Colorado

Biosphere Temperate rain forest in NW Continental mountains Coastal mountains Great Basin High and low elevation deserts Mediterranean Grasslands

Native Americans in California Indigenous people for thousands of years Territories often related to bioregions and watersheds Linguistic diversity Hunters, gatherers, fishers, agriculturalists

European contact leads to: expansion of church and state pursuit of wealth genocide of indigenous people by violence and disease slave trade with Africa global expeditions and trade redistribution of species for commerce and by accident

1510 California described by Spanish author Montalvo as a Terrestrial Paradise

1602 Vizcaino explores California coast

Sir Francis Drake sails the ship Golden Hinde around the world and establishes British interests in the Americas and Asia

Spanish exploration of California Links California coast to Mexico and New Spain

Globalization in the 16 th century Spanish and Portuguese global empires link Europe, Atlantic Ocean, the Americas, Pacific Ocean, and Asia

1769 Sacred Expedition organizers Church (mission) Franciscan priest Father Junipero Serra State (pueblo) Inspector General Galvez Military (presidio) Captain Portola

18 th century colonization of Alta California by the Spanish El Camino Real (The Royal Road) connects a system of 21 missions one day’s journey apart from one another

1774 Captain de Anza trail links California to Mexico by land

1800 North America 1803 Louisiana Purchase from the French doubles the size of the United States President Jefferson organizes the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery

Early 19 th century North America United States Indian Territories Spanish Territories Oregon Country claims by Great Britain and Russia

Jedediah Smith Mountain man and fur trapper Links California to United States by land

American expeditions into the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest prepare the way for a policy of Manifest Destiny and a nation from “sea to shining sea”

1821 Spanish Empire collapses and Mexico gains Independence 1824 California becomes a Mexican Territory 1834 Secularization of California missions leads to their abandonment and disrepair Mexican Government Land Grants to Californios dominate the economy and define Mexican California

1840s Americanization of the West

1846 Bear Flag Revolt by Californios and Anglos 1848 Treaty of Hidalgo cedes California to the United States 1848 Gold discovered in Sierra Nevada foothills

1850 California admitted as 31 st state of the United States of America