HIST 473 - California History

By c8lyn
  • 31,000 BCE

    Migration across Beringia

    Indigenous peoples were not immigrants, however, they migrated from other regions and established their cultures in California.
  • Period: 31,000 BCE to 2500 BCE

    Migration & Establishment

  • 13,000 BCE

    Sites established along Santa Barbara Channel

    People moved out of Siberia and the bureau Asian continents into North America across a land bridge and settled in groups. Migration was not a constant flow as some may believe, but a “dripping faucet” according to historians.
  • 12,000 BCE

    Arrival of Chumashan

    It is believed the Chumashan likely was the first spoken tribal language to emerge. Those who spoke Chumashan may have had settlements along the Santa Barbara coast. The language and its dialects have evolved since.
  • 6000 BCE

    Arrival of other stock languages

    Pre-Chumashan speaking people may have arrived first, followed by Yukian speaking groups, such as Yuki, Lake Miwok, and Wappo.
  • 5000 BCE

    Arrival of more stock languages

    Following the previously mentioned groups, who spoke Yukian, Hokan speaking groups emerged. These groups consisted of Shastan, Atsugewi, Pomo, and other groups that settled along the Colorado River.
  • 4000 BCE

    Late Holocene Era

    The climate was described to be affected by the aridification of low elevation coastal areas. This created cooling temperatures in North America. Additionally, the region experienced the emergence of El Nino/La Nina Equatorial weather patterns. Changes in climate created stressors regarding resources which ultimately serve as a push factor for tribal migration.
  • 3000 BCE

    Penutian Invasions

    Yokuts were the most numerous, followed by Maidu, Patwin, Wintun, Miwok, and Ohlone. By Spanish settlement, Penutian speaking groups composed 30% of tribal populations.
  • 2500 BCE

    Arrival of Uto-Aztecan Subfamilies

    Uto-Aztecan stock language subfamilies experience a massive distribution. This included the Numic, Takic, Piman, Opatan, Cahita, Corachol, and Nahuan.
  • 1079

    Cultural Effusion

    Indigenous California went through a period of cultural effusion prior to Spanish colonization. Existing tribes had developed an intensive system and network of trading. These interactions and trading trails further promote the diffusion of cultures.
  • Period: 1100 to 1542

    Pre-Contact & Prehistoric Indigenous California

  • 1520

    Smallpox Pandemic

    The pandemic was not definite and the effects were uncertain.
  • 1542

    Cabrillo sailed along the coast

    Anthropologists estimate the Chumash population reached 15,000.
  • 1551

    Debate at Valladolid

    The Spanish maintained the Theory of a “Providential Mission” to promote their expansion of Spanish influence to other parts of the world. Spanish authorities believed that union of humankind under a single ruler would establish lasting peace. This theory emphasizes the role of Catholicism and sought to convert “heathens” as a religious duty. The imperialist agenda catalyzed the Debate at Valladolid between Las Casas and Sepulveda regarding the treatment of indigenous peoples.
  • Period: 1551 to

    Spanish Colonization

  • 1577

    Conquests from Europe

    Queen Elizabeth I had ordered Sir Francis Drake to “go harass the Spanish in the Great Lake”, known as the Pacific Ocean.
  • Period: 1577 to 1579

    Protohistory & Historic Contact

  • 1579

    Sir Francis Drake Arrives

    Drake anchors his boat at present-day Point Reyes for weeks. During this expedition, Drake and his men used sign language to communicate with native populations.

  • Expulsion of Society of Jesus

    Jesuits around the world were placed in exile and forced to renounce their vows.

  • Missions

    Missions were not only churches, but were huge economic institutions. They served as foundations for colonization and converted indigenous communities. The missions had forced natives to manual labor in poor working/living conditions.

  • Spanish Expeditions

    The Spanish saw California as a means of “God, Gold, and Glory”. California would allow the Spanish to restore their center of power and promote economic development.

  • San Diego Mission

  • San Carlos Mission

  • San Gabriel Mission

    This mission was found in 1771 and infamous for soldiers’ barbarity, slow conversion rates, rape crimes, and rising cases of STDs.

  • San Antonio de Padua Mission

  • San Gabriel STD Contamination

  • San Gabriel Malnutrition and Depression Rates

  • San Gabriel Prohibitions

    The mourning dance was prohibited as a means of indigenous erasure in tandem with forced conservations.

  • Jose Francisco

    Spanish army officer, Jose Francisco, had established Presidio.

  • Santa Barbara Mission

  • Spanish Livestock

    In Santa Barbara, cattle, sheep and goats regularly populated the region. However, the arrival of the Spanish introduced animals, such as horses, donkeys, mules, hogs, chickens, cats, dogs, and rats.

  • San Gabriel Measles

    Measles epidemic caused 40% of children to die.

  • San Gabriel Responses to Diseases

    The Spanish moved the Chapel to the hospital in response to high mortality rates of indigenous peoples.

  • Spain and Cortes of Cadiz

    Spain convenes Cortes of Cadiz which outlines the plan for indigenous freedom and full citizenship throughout the Spanish Empire.

  • Spanish Constitution

    This granted indigenous and colonial-born subjects full citizenship. It also codified Spain’s plan to secularize all religious institutions.

  • San Gabriel Spanish Responses to Diseases

    The Spanish moved the mortuary to the hospital due to the immense amount of dead bodies from these poor conditions.

  • San Gabriel Influenza

  • Mexican Independence

    Mexico gains independence after decade-long struggles. The secular governmental officials of Mexico took over California’s government.

  • End of Mercantilism

    After 1821, free trade, open commerce, and frontier institutions were replacing the economic power of missions.
  • Period: to

    Mexican-California Frontier

  • San Francisco Solano Mission

  • Chumash Revolt

    The Chumash resisted coerced entry to the mission.

  • Santa Ynez

    War began to spread to other missions in the Chumash area as a result of the sacking of Santa Ynez.

  • San Gabriel Malaria

  • Secularization

    California missions began the secularization process.

  • Secularization

    Missions began to secularize lands and ordered that all neophyte families obtain land previously occupied by missions. This was in response to the migration of Anglos to North America for the Gold Rush.

  • Migration of Neophytes

    Many neophytes returned to villages in Northern California or migrated to pueblos in the southern region of California in order to stay out of Rancheros.

  • Discovery of Gold in California

    James Marshall was building a saw mill for John Sutter and encountered gold in Coloma. Despite warnings from natives that the gold would bring out demons, Marshall had extracted the gold.

  • John Sutter

    Mariano Vallejo gave Sutter a land grant near Fort Ross to act as a physical buffer between Californios and Russians.

  • Russians

    The Russians gave their land grant to Sutter.

  • Pre-Emption Act

    This act allowed American squatters to obtain larger claims of 160 acres in land.

  • Tao Trappers

    Tao trappers arrived in California as butchers, soap-makers, cabinet-makers, house joiners, sawmill operators, stonemason, carpenters, boatbuilders, ferry operators, etc.

  • Major John C. Fremont Arrives

    In 1845, Fremont made his third trip to California despite being banned by Mexican authorities in 1842. Although Fremont claimed he had accidentally entered the state, he was caught and expelled.

  • Indian Servants

    In the Bay Area, a majority of families residing in the area had Indian servants. This was due to the established Indian Slave Trade in Northern Calfornia. Many enslaved populations consisted of children.

  • Major John C. Fremont Arrives…Again

    Despite being banned and expelled multiple times, he makes his return in 1846 and takes control of U.S. military forces during the Mexican-American War.

  • Treaty of Cahuenga

    The treaty established the agreement that ended the conquest and conflict in California, resulting in a ceasefire between Californios and Americans.

  • Phase I (Spring)

    Local people began to “rush” to gold regions.

  • Phase II (Summer & Fall)

    The news of the Gold Rush reached the Pacific Rim, where experienced miners populated. Animal power was utilized by these miners in lieu of water power and panning.
  • Period: to

    The Gold Rush

  • Phase III

    Gold Fever struck young Americans around the nation to migrate to the West to mine for gold or establish businesses in the newly populated regions in hopes for economic prosperity.

  • San Francisco Migrations

    By 1849, San Francisco was populated with 35,000 residents, most of whom were Chinese immigrants. The area was deemed the most important city in the west with economic growth centered in banking, trade, commerce, and transport.
  • Period: to

    Industrial California

  • Land Development in San Francisco

    Major tracts of land were available to developments that established industrial, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and hotel offices.

  • Pacific Railroad Acts

    The act incentivized the government to assist railroad developments.

  • Transcontinental Railroad

    Laborers from various countries and coasts finished the construction of the railroad that linked the coasts in order to transport goods and people.

  • Los Angeles Massacre

    As anti-Chinese sentiments developed and spread, hate crimes began to occur, resulting in the Los Angeles Massacre.

  • First Operated Cable Cars

  • Anti-Chinese Sentiments

    National depression hit due to alleged competition between white and Asian laborers. This resulted in the Sandlot “rallies” and marches on Chinatown.

  • City of Immigrants

    80% of residents in San Francisco were either immigrants or first-generation immigrants.

  • Mussel Slough “Tragedy”

    This encompassed land disputes over water and irrigation rights that resulted in the death of seven people.

  • Chinese Exclusion Act Approved

  • Woodruff v. North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company

    The court case prohibited all hydraulic mining in California.

  • Wright Act

    The act established a series of laws and served as a response to disputes over access to water.

  • Publication of the Octopus

    Frank Norris released his novel commentating on monopoly capital referring to the railroads.

  • Newlands Act

  • Colorado Compact

  • Boulder Canyon Project

  • Central Valley Project

  • Second Great Migration

    Western states, especially California, experienced an immense growth of Black populations from the South. Migration changes also were affected by the Bracero Program. This was an agreement between the U.S. and Mexico to remedy the lack of labor forces during WWII. Migrants from Oklahoma also participated in the migration.
  • Period: to

    California in WWII

  • Executive Order 8802

    FDR banned racial discrimination in war employment.

  • California Military

    California had 16 military aircrafts ready to defend the state.

  • War Production Boards

    FDR created War Production Boards to manage labor needs and wages.

  • U.S. and Mexico Sign “Mexican Farm Labor Agreement”

    This agreement worked to supplement the work force in the U.S. which lasted until 1964.

  • Executive Order 9066

    The executive order called for the removal of Japanese people from the “Special Military Exclusion Zone” in the West Coast. In January, Japanese Internment began.

  • Chinese Exclusion Act Repealed

  • Zoot Suit Riots

    White sailors invaded Latine L.A. to attack young people. The riots lasted for five days and injured 150 Mexican Americans.

  • Mendes v. Westminster

    Gonzalo Medez sues Westminster schools for segregation and racist practices.

  • Port Chicago Disaster

    320 people were killed during an explosion while loading ammunition and ordnance.

  • Port Chicago “Mutiny”

    Black sailors refused to return to their site after recovery. They were arrested and convicted of mutiny.

  • U.S. Navy Desegregated

  • California Population Triples

    10-30 million residents
  • Period: to

    California Suburbs

  • Burns-Porter Act

    This established one of the largest water redistribution systems.

  • Freeway and Expressway Act

    This provided $10.5 billion for transportation developments.

  • Fair Employment Practices Act

    This prohibits employers and labor unions from discriminating against workers.

  • Unruh Civil Rights Act

    This prohibits the discrimination by businesses and provides victims the monetary assistance to sue for damages in state courts.

  • Shift of Residence

    The 60s experienced a shift from rural areas and small towns to suburbs.

  • State Water Project

    This worked to improve the state’s water infrastructure.

  • "Little Boxes" Released

  • Housing Propositions: Bonds funds for affordable housing

  • Rumford Act and Fair Housing Act

    This prohibited racial discrimination in regards to housing.

  • Housing Propositions: “Right to Decline to Sell or Rent”

  • Student Activists Silenced

    Reagan ordered the California National Guard to tear gas student activists during a protest at Berkeley.

  • Defeat Bakke Protest

  • Housing Propositions: Limit property tax annual increases

  • Housing Propositions: Bonds for first-time homeowners

  • Housing Propositions: Property tax relief for low income buyers

  • Proposition 187

    This sparked the “Save Our State” initiative that made it possible for local authorities to investigate the immigration status of those who receive public aid.

  • Housing Propositions: Split property tax structure (commercial vs. residential)