California

2010 Fall 141 History/Americas Since 1800 71227

By Eric Osterberg

California

California..a “terrestrial paradise”. A true caricature of our my home state. First named in 1539 by the Spanish (Hernan Cortes), they believed it to be an island, but later discovered it to be a peninsula (Baja California)

Old California, not Baja, wouldn’t be settled 230 years later The rugged beauty from sea to desert, best described in the

book as a landscape of “clear cut and confrontational topographies”

Most Californians can access the coastline, mountains, deserts, valleys and canyons within a couple of hours of driving time confirming its uniqueness as a state

California

The titanic action below the earth’s surface in California is what fashioned the diverse landscape.

The ongoing seismic activity is a regular reminder of the turmoil below. Considerable damage due to many sizeable earthquakes are well recorded in our states history

With 1,264 miles of Pacific coastline, the topography quickly changes to the towering mid-range mountains, and then to the deserts where Death Valley sits 282 ft. below sea level

The coastline is blessed with four natural harbors of varying sizes. San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco, and the Humboldt

These were of critical importance because the enabled safe mooring and land access to early explorers

California

1/3 of the early Native Americans groups lived in California. Plentiful water and food, along with a acceptable weather, supported their lifestyles.

Native Americans occupied three different regions and had varied lifestyles to suit their environment

The staple food amongst all groups was the acorn. However, Native Americans to the northeast were predominately fishermen, coastal inhabitants relied on shellfish and fish, and the hunter/gatherers of the interior regions

Due to the abundant living in all areas, competition wasn’t necessary, so most groups lived peacefully without conflict

Unfortunately, like the rest of the country, Native American populations were decimated after contact with “whites” due to disease

Great Expectations

With statehood on Sept. 9th 1850, California experienced steady growth. Men like William Hammond Hall realized that water was the lifeblood to make the state fully “inhabitable and productive”.

Hall’s visionary efforts would pave the way for the California of today

Two water sources were identified: the Colorado and Owens rivers. They would be tapped and water distribution to semi-arid would allow habitation and development to occur

The cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles would be the burgeoning municipalities in the state early growth, both very dependent upon imported water

Great Expectations

Agriculture played a large part in the early socio-economic expansion of the state. With expansion – came structural development and rapid population growth ensued.

By 1940 California swelled to 6.9 million people Population growth and a social hierarchy occurred with

growth, whites initially were the largest segment in the demographic mix .

As time progressed, the Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican populations grew – integrating into communities.

Development, manufacturing, fishing, and agriculture were the main jobs supporting the growing populace

Great Expectations

• Structurally speaking, the state was somewhat divided in parts due to topography. • By 1924 there were 310.000 automobiles on the roadways• Bridges and roadways helped link geographical areas makingaccess easier and timely• Los Angeles had the busiest intersection in the country with 69,797 cars

traveling through it each day• Roadway construction and freeway projects became a major priority as

engineers realized the dependence upon the automobile as the primary means of transportation

• Architectural wonders like the Golden Gate bridge became icons of the San Francisco area

• The Bank of America/Italy enabled many to live out their dreams through employment and home ownership, and no doubt helping California become what it is today

A Most Unique State

California – a unique state, past, present, and surely in the future. Unique and diverse in its land, people, and politics

California has led the way in so many ways, and has been the “litmus test” for in industry, politics, environmental causes, and technology

For years a more conservative state dominated by the Republican Party for 110 years, times have changed of recent, in some ways for the better, and in some ways worse

Recently, during years of prosperity, the states operating budget increased 40%, but that was the foreshadowing of financially bleak times to come

A Most Unique State

In 2003 things started to unravel financially with the state experiencing a 38 million dollar shortfall in revenues

Weather related incidents, fires, earthquakes, immigration, dot com bust, and spendthrift politicians put the state in a financial pit that it may not recover from without serious budget cuts and a change in the way California conducts its political and socio-economic business

Voters elected Gov. Schwarzenegger to “terminate” business as usual. Despite his initial success, thing haven’t gone to well of recent

California continues to struggle, dealing with a myriad of challenging social, budgetary, political, and environmental that won’t soon be resolved

A Most Unique State

People, culture, movements, and events of significance have identified and helped make California unique

Notable politicians like President Ronald Reagan, Jerry Brown, and Arnold Schwarzenegger

The “hippy” era of the 60’s and the drug culture was embedded here, especially in San Francisco

Notable protests like the regarding free speech and war protesting, especially at UC Berkeley where 750 students were arrested after a sit-in

Conservatism and Liberalism were at war. Different lifestyle choices were acceptable here, most notably the gay lifestyle that took hold geographically in San Francisco also