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Professors:

Dr. Howard DeWitt
Matt Freeman
Richard King

Advisory:
Should be eligible for ENGL 151B & 163

Student Performance Objectives:
The student will:
1. Identify California´s unique and diverse physical environment.
2. Identify the indigenous native American cultures which existed in California prior to the coming of the representatives of Western Civilization, and subsequent contributions by major ethnic groups.
3. Describe the cultural conflict between groups living in California during the period of initial European settlement and throughout the history of the Golden State to the present.
4. Identify the impact of Hispanic settlement in California including its contributions to California´s cultural tapestry, and then demonstrate how this contribution continued to the present day.
5. Demonstrate through examinations and research papers a factual and interpretive understanding of the major themes of California history.
6. Demonstrate through examinations and research papers the ability to employ the historical method of careful and objective analyses in assessing the contributions and challenges faced by the people of California.
7. Demonstrate critical thinking skills by analyzing historiographical articles through classroom examinations and research papers.

Course Content:

A. California -- An Unique Physical & Aboriginal Setting
1. The Land and Its Influence
2. The Regions of California
3. California's Greatest Natural Resource -- Climate
4. Indigenous Indian Cultures
5. The Problem of Cultural Conflict in California
6. Multicultural Influences of Indigenous Peoples

B. The Hispanic Heritage
1. Explorations Around and in California
2. The Motives for Settlement
3. The Means of Settlement
4. The Mission System
5. The Spanish Cultural Heritage
6. The Mexican Era - Independence, Political and Cultural?
7. Secularization and the End of the Mission System
8. The Rancho - Social and Economic Stabilizer
9. The Mexican Cultural Heritage
10.Gente de Razon and Creole Multicultural Influences
11.Comparing Spanish and English Colonization
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C. California Americanized
1. The Coming of the Traders
2. Overland Infiltration - Mountain Men and Pioneers
3. Manifest Destiny - The American Appetite Whetted
4. American Acquisition
5.African-American Settlers
6.U.S. Relations with Latin America and Britain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
D. The Gold Rush Era
1. The Discovery of Gold
2. The Forty Niners
3. The Mining Camp and Mining Society
4. The Problems of Law and Order
5. An Adventure Becomes an Industry
6. The Gold Rush and Growth
7. Growth Breeds Political Experimentation
8. California and Statehood
9. California Constitution
10.Politics and the Civil War
11.Chilean and Peruvian Influences in the Gold Rush
12. Hispanic Women in the Mines
13. Racial Conflict in the Mines
14. Asian Influences on the Gold Rush
15. Rise of American Culture
16. Women as a force in politics, 1850-1910
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
E. The New California - Chaos to Coalescence
1. Building a New Economy
2. Crops vs. Gold
3. Problems of Transportation and Communication
4. Building the Pacific Railroad -- The "Octopus" Emerges
5. California Laissez-Faire and Social Unrest
6. Emergence of the South--Climate, Oranges, Oil, and Irrigation
7. Immigration and California Society
a. Asian
b. European
c. Compare
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
F. Reform and Progressivism
1. Breaking the Railroad Monopoly
2. Cleansing California's Cities
3. California's Distinctive Progressivism (Initiative, Referendum, Recall)
4. The Decline of Reform During Prosperity
5. Anti-Asian Influences 1900-1920
6. California and World War I
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
G. The Modern State Emerges
1. A Continuing Influx of Population
2. The Quest for Water
3. The March of Industry
4. California Agriculture and its Peculiar Institutions
5. Ethnic Change 1920-1960

H. Depression and Global Conflict
1. The Economic Collapse -- The Bubble Bursts
2. Prophets and Panaceas
3. The Wartime State
4. A Case in Prejudice - Expulsion of the Japanese
5.The New California Immigrant 1960-2003

I. California in the Nuclear Age
1. The Cold War and National Defense--California's New Gold Rush
2. Becoming the Most Populous State The Burdens of Big Business
3 California and Cultural Maturity--Can it Come Despite Continued Growth? .
4. California Governors and the Economy
5. Ethnic Politics Since 1960
6. California State and Local Government
7. New Force of California Feminism

J.Significant Events
1.The Gold Rush and its influence upon California Society
2. The Rise of Agribusiness and its influence upon the dominant California Economy 3. Ethnic change since 1850 and its influences upon Californias changing culture. Relationship with Regions of U.S.

K.Relationship with Regions of U.S.
1. The Mexican War and its impact in California: New Mexico, Arizona and Texas influences on California
2. The Central Pacific Railroad and its impact on the Growth of California
3. Californias Relationship to Nevada in the Gold Rush
4. Silicon Valley and its impact on the U.S. economy
5. Asian Indians, Afghanistan immigrants and the New California Immigrant Culture
6. American Dream/American Nightmare

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Questions, Comments, and/or Suggestions: AKirshner@ohlone.edu

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