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117 California History Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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California, often referred to as the Golden State, is a land rich in history and diversity. From its indigenous peoples to the Spanish colonization, the Gold Rush, and the rise of Hollywood, California has played a significant role in shaping American history. If you are tasked with writing an essay on California history, here are 117 topic ideas and examples to inspire your research and writing:

Pre-Colonial California:

• The indigenous peoples of California: tribes, cultures, and lifestyles.
• The impact of European diseases on Native American populations.
• The role of art and symbolism in Native American cultures in California.
• The impact of Spanish colonization on indigenous populations in California.
• The Mission System: its goals, successes, and controversies.
• Native American resistance to Spanish colonization in California.

Spanish and Mexican California: 7. The founding of Spanish missions and presidios in California. 8. The impact of Spanish architecture and culture on California. 9. The Mexican period in California: politics, economy, and society. 10. The role of Californios in early California society. 11. The Bear Flag Revolt: causes, events, and consequences. 12. Mexican land grants and the transformation of landownership in California.

The Gold Rush Era: 13. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill: causes and immediate effects. 14. The impact of the Gold Rush on California's population and demographics. 15. The transformation of San Francisco during the Gold Rush. 16. The experiences of women during the Gold Rush. 17. The impact of Chinese immigrants on the Gold Rush and California's development. 18. The environmental consequences of the Gold Rush in California.

California's Role in the Civil War: 19. California's political and economic alignment during the Civil War. 20. The role of California volunteers in the Union Army. 21. The impact of the Civil War on California's economy and society. 22. California's efforts to support the Union cause.

The Transcontinental Railroad: 23. The construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in California. 24. Chinese laborers and their contributions to the Transcontinental Railroad. 25. The impact of the railroad on California's economy and population growth. 26. The changing landscape of California due to the railroad.

California's Ethnic Communities: 27. The impact of Chinese immigrants on California's economy and society. 28. Japanese internment during World War II and its lasting effects. 29. Mexican immigration and its influence on California's culture and labor force. 30. The role of African Americans in California during the Civil Rights Movement. 31. The Chicano Movement in California: goals, achievements, and challenges.

California's Natural Disasters: 32. The San Francisco earthquake of 1906: causes, effects, and aftermath. 33. The impact of droughts on California's agriculture and water supply. 34. The role of wildfires in shaping California's landscape and ecology. 35. The consequences of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

California's Environmental Movements: 36. The birth of the Sierra Club and its impact on environmental conservation. 37. The fight to protect California's redwood forests. 38. The impact of the Clean Air Act on air quality in California. 39. The creation of national parks in California: Yosemite, Sequoia, Joshua Tree, etc.

California's Role in World War II: 40. The internment of Japanese Americans in California during World War II. 41. The role of California's military bases in supporting the war effort. 42. The impact of wartime industries on California's economy. 43. The changing demographics of California due to wartime migration.

The Rise of Hollywood: 44. The birth of the American film industry in Hollywood. 45. The impact of Hollywood on American culture and global cinema. 46. The role of women in early Hollywood. 47. The influence of censorship on Hollywood films. 48. The rise and fall of the studio system in Hollywood.

California's Counterculture: 49. The Beat Generation in California: writers, poets, and their impact. 50. The cultural revolution of the 1960s in California. 51. The rise of Hippie communes in California. 52. The impact of the Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley.

The Tech Boom and Silicon Valley: 53. The birth of Silicon Valley and its impact on California's economy. 54. The rise of tech giants: Apple, Google, Facebook, etc. 55. The impact of venture capitalism on California's startup culture. 56. The challenges of income inequality and gentrification in Silicon Valley.

California's Agricultural Industry: 57. The development of California's agriculture industry: from oranges to almonds. 58. The impact of irrigation systems on California's agricultural success. 59. The challenges of water scarcity and sustainable farming in California. 60. The role of migrant labor in California's agricultural industry.

California's LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: 61. The early LGBTQ+ rights movement in California. 62. The impact of the AIDS crisis on LGBTQ+ communities in California. 63. The fight for marriage equality in California. 64. The influence of LGBTQ+ individuals in California politics.

California's Political Landscape: 65. The role of California in national politics. 66. The impact of Proposition 13 on California's tax system. 67. The rise of the Democratic Party in California. 68. The challenges of governing a diverse state like California.

California's Education System: 69. The rise and challenges of the University of California system. 70. The impact of bilingual education policies in California. 71. The role of community colleges in California's education system. 72. The challenges of funding and inequality in California's schools.

California's Water Wars: 73. The history of water rights and conflicts in California. 74. The impact of the California State Water Project on the state's water supply. 75. The challenges of drought and water scarcity in California. 76. The future of water management in California.

California's Immigration Policies: 77. The history of immigration policies in California. 78. The impact of Proposition 187 on California's immigrant communities. 79. The challenges of undocumented immigrants in California. 80. The role of sanctuary cities in California.

California's Wine Industry: 81. The history of winemaking in California. 82. The impact of the Judgment of Paris on California's wine industry. 83. The challenges of climate change on California's vineyards. 84. The rise of organic and sustainable winemaking in California.

California's Native American Gaming: 85. The establishment of Native American casinos in California. 86. The impact of gaming on Native American communities and economies. 87. The challenges and controversies surrounding Native American gaming.

California's Prison System: 88. The history of California's prison system. 89. The impact of the Three Strikes law on California's prison population. 90. The challenges of prison overcrowding and reform in California.

California's Transportation Systems: 91. The development of California's highway system. 92. The impact of the electric car movement on California's transportation. 93. The challenges of public transportation in California's urban areas.

California's Surfing Culture: 94. The birth of surf culture in California. 95. The impact of surfing on California's lifestyle and tourism. 96. The challenges of coastal erosion and pollution on California's surf spots.

California's LGBTQ+ History: 97. The history of LGBTQ+ activism in California. 98. The impact of the AIDS crisis on LGBTQ+ communities in California. 99. The fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality in California.

California's Literary Heritage: 100. The impact of California on the works of John Steinbeck. 101. The influence of California on the Beat Generation writers. 102. The rise of Chicano literature in California. 103. The role of California in contemporary literature.

California's Sports Legacy: 104. The history of professional sports teams in California. 105. The impact of the Los Angeles Olympics on California. 106. The challenges of stadium construction and relocation in California.

California's Architectural Heritage: 107. The influence of Spanish and Mexican architecture on California. 108. The birth of the Craftsman style architecture in California. 109. The impact of modernist architecture on California's cities.

California's Native Flora and Fauna: 110. The diversity of California's ecosystems and biomes. 111. The challenges of protecting endangered species in California. 112. The impact of climate change on California's flora and fauna.

California's Celebrity Culture: 113. The rise of Hollywood and its impact on celebrity culture. 114. The challenges of paparazzi and invasion of privacy in California. 115. The influence of celebrity activism on California's politics.

California's Space Industry: 116. The role of California in the aerospace industry. 117. The impact of SpaceX and other private companies on California's space industry.

These topics and examples cover a wide range of aspects of California's rich history and provide ample opportunities for research and analysis. Whether you are interested in politics, culture, environment, or technology, there is a California history essay topic that will suit your interests. Happy writing!

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California History Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best california history topic ideas & essay examples, 🥇 most interesting california history topics to write about, 📌 simple & easy california history essay titles.

• Los Angeles in American History However, with Los Angeles, the specifics of the city and the conflict of the nationalities, the history of the LA creation turns out to be completely unique.
• The California Gold Rush’ History The primary purpose of the paper is to discuss the peculiarities of the gold rush and the impact it had on people’s life.
• California Restaurants’ History and Cuisine Style The primary goal of this essay is to provide an analysis of the aspects of Californian cuisine and food, in general.
• Californian Culture and History It was really interesting to analyze the songs as I felt I was a decoder who revealed the secrets of the society.
• California Historical Murder Case He clarified that the shot entered the victim through the front part of the body and according to the bullet wound, firing occurred a few inches from the victim.
• A People of Exceptional Character: Ethnic Diversity, Nativism, and Racism in California History
• Westward, Utopia: Robert V. Hine, Aldous Huxley, and the Future of California History
• The Medical Emancipation of Minors: A California History
• California History Textbooks and the Coming of the Civil War
• Making and Measuring the California History Standards
• Fascinating Women in California History Review
• Pacific Eldorado: A Greater California History
• The Indian and the Politics of Church and State in Provincial California History
• The Citrus Industry and the Revolution of Corporate Capitalism in Southern California History, 1887-1944
• The Need for a Broader Perspective of California History
• The Native American Experience in California History
• A World of Balance and Plenty: Land, Plants, Animals, and Humans in a Pre-European California History
• Between Crucifix and Lance: Indian-White Relations in California History, 1769-1848
• Black Telephones and Blue Denim: Business Archives in California History
• The Representation of Junípero Serra in California History
• Railroads in California History and the Far West
• Making Friends and Converts: Cloth and Clothing in Early California History
• Making Her Fame: Charlotte Perkins Gilman in California History
• Los Angeles and Southern California History Overview
• Milestones in California History: The 1846 Bear Flag Revolt: Early Cultural Conflict in California
• A Veritable Revolution: The Global Economic Significance of the Gold Rush in California History
• More Than Missions: Native Californians and Allies Changing the Story of California History
• Digitizing California History: Issues of Selection and Description
• Dealing With the Density of Diversity: Groupness and Individuality in California History
• Empowerment, Expansion, and Engagement: Las Juntas Patrioticas in California History
• California History Knowledge Possessed by High School Seniors Compared With Adults
• Crossover Voting Before the Blanket: Primaries Versus Parties in California History
• The Courts, the Legal Profession, and the Development of Law in Early California History
• The Opening of the Sierra Nevada and the Beginnings of Conservation in California History
• “We Feel the Want of Protection”: The Politics of Law and Race in California History, 1848-1878
• An Uncertain Influence: The Role of the Federal Government in California History, 1846-1880
• Junipero Serra’s Impact in California History
• Women’s Place in California History
• Land, Labor, and Production: The Colonial Economy of Spanish and Mexican California History
• Splendide Californie!: Selections by French Artists in California History
• Unveiling California History Through Serious Games: Fort Ross Virtual Warehouse
• Early California Exploration and Settlement
• If the Truth Be Told: Revising California History as a Moral Objective
• From Indifference to Imperative Duty: Educating Children in Early California History
• Women, Law, and Government in California History, 1850-1890
• Alfred Hitchcock Topics
• Popular Culture Paper Topics
• Population Titles
• Progressive Era Research Topics
• Agriculture Essay Ideas
• Culture Topics
• Drug Trafficking Research Topics
• Economic Growth Research Ideas
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IvyPanda. (2022, November 15). California History Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/california-history-essay-topics/

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By: History.com Editors

Updated: December 13, 2022 | Original: November 9, 2009

The first Spanish missionaries arrived in California in the 1700s, but California didn’t become part of the United States until 1847, as part of the treaty ending the Mexican-American War . Shortly thereafter, the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848 inspired a wave of settlers to head to the West Coast in search of fortune. In 1850 California became the 31st state.

With millions of acres of farmland, California leads the United States in agricultural production. The state is also home to famous cultural institutions and national parks including Hollywood , Disneyland, Yosemite National Park, Alcatraz , Angel Island and the Golden Gate Bridge .

WATCH: How the States Got Their Shape on HISTORY Vault

California’s Native American History

The first people migrated to California nearly 20,000 years ago from Asia across the Bering Straits. California’s mountain ranges and deserts isolated Native American tribes from each other, and they lived in peaceful family clans with little political structure. More than 500 tribes, each with their unique culture, developed across the state, such as the Pomo, Tolowa, Miwok, Maidu, Cahto, Wintun, Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Chumash, Karok, Mojave, Yokuts, Paiute and Modoc.

When Spanish missionaries first came to California in the mid-1700s, the native population was estimated to be about 30,000—or 13 percent of the total Indigenous population in North America at the time. The population was gradually decimated, first in the 18th century by disease and forced labor in Spanish missions, and then in the late 19th century by American settlers .

California Missions

Concerned about Russian and English encroachment on western New Spain territory, Spain ordered an expedition north from Baja Mexico in 1769. The first Spanish soldiers and priests traveled and established a presidio (military fort) and mission church in San Diego. This marked the first of at least 21 California missions , which were often accompanied by presidios and pueblos (small towns).

Greatly outnumbered by native inhabitants, Franciscan missionaries came with the blessing of the Spanish state to convert Indigenous people to Christianity and train them into loyal Spanish citizens. Missionaries introduced agriculture and ranching to indigenous peoples. They taught them Spanish culture and language as well as skills like weaving, construction and blacksmithing. They also forced natives to build and stay within their walled communities and flogged those who disobeyed. Forced labor along with foreign disease, which spread rapidly in crowded living conditions, halved the indigenous population by the time the Mexican government secularized the mission system in 1834.

European Exploration

Spanish explorers began sailing the West Coast of North America looking for the mythical “Island of California,” entirely populated by beautiful women, described in Garcí Rodríguez Ordóñez de Montalvo’s book Las Sergas de Esplandián (The Exploits of Esplandián). They named the Baja California peninsula of Mexico after the book.

Spanish conquistador Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first European to explore the West Coast of the United States, naming the area “Alta California.” Sent by New Spain to find a water route to Asia, Cabrillo and his crew left from Mexico and set foot on modern-day San Diego on September 28, 1542, then traveled north to Monterey Bay.

Sailing for the English in 1579, Sir Francis Drake looted Spanish settlements in the Americas and escaped to Point Reyes Peninsula, near San Francisco. Portuguese merchant-adventurer Sebastián Rodríguez Cermeño landed in Drake’s Bay in 1595 and explored parts of northern California including Monterey, an area revisited several years later by Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno.

The Spanish only settled in California with the Franciscan establishment of presidios and missions beginning in 1769. Spanish commander Juan Bautista de Anza created an overland route from California to New Spain and brought the first families to California in 1776. Fewer than 4,000 settlers lived in California until the mid-1800s.

From Mexico to the United States

Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence , and Alta California became a Mexican province in 1822. The Mexicans established a ranching culture, and Mexico’s liberal trading policies encouraged Californians to trade with the Americans and the English.

In 1826 trapper Jedediah Smith led the first group of U.S. citizens overland into the area. In 1841, John Bidwell and John Bartleson led the first group of organized American settlers into California. Immigration continued until American immigrants outnumbered Mexican citizens by the mid-1840s. American settlers revolted against the Mexican government in 1846 and declared California an independent nation in what became known as the Bear Flag Revolt .

Meanwhile, the U.S. government had gained interest in expanding its territory and was fighting the Mexican-American War . One month after the Bear Flag Revolt, the U.S. military occupied California. In January 1847, California surrendered to the United States. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo at the war’s end gave California to the United States on February 2, 1848. Without ever becoming a territory, California was admitted to the Union as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

California Gold Rush & Immigration

WATCH: The California Gold Rush

On January 24, 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at a sawmill he was constructing at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California, ushering the California Gold Rush . Most of the first treasure-hunting immigrants came from outside the United States, including from Mexico, Chile and China. After President James Polk recognized the discovery that December, prospectors known as “ forty-niners ” began pouring into the state the following year.

In 1849 alone, more than 100,000 people moved to California from the United States and worldwide, including Europe, Australia, New Zealand and China. Some came looking for gold, while others set up saloons and other businesses. Between 1847 and 1860, the state’s population tripled to 308,000 residents. The Gold Rush  changed the lives of California’s Native Americans , who within years, were almost wiped out due to the massive immigration the Gold Rush inspired. Most prospectors never struck it rich, but miners did extract an astonishing 28,280,711 ounces of fine gold between 1850 and 1859.

By the 1870s, almost all of the 63,000 Chinese immigrants in America lived in California, and anti-Chinese sentiment arose. Chinese filled jobs building the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860s and then in agriculture in the early 1870s. This combined with an economic downturn in the 1870s spurred the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which barred Chinese immigration until China sided with the United States in World War II .

The next big wave of California immigrants came to escape the Great Depression and a series of droughts in the 1930s. More than 300,000 people migrated to California from midwestern “ Dust Bowl ” states, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas. These poverty-stricken “Okies” faced discrimination and were the subject of John Steinbeck's Pulitzer-winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath .

When the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act opened up U.S. immigration, people from all over the world arrived in California, especially from Mexico, China, the Philippines, Central America and India.

California's Economy

California’s balmy climate and strong economy continue to attract new residents. As of 2021, the state boasted the largest population in the United States with more than 39 million residents. Many come to work in agriculture. Despite urbanization, drought and the loss of land to industry, California leads the country in agricultural production: More than a third of U.S. vegetables and two-thirds of fruit and nuts are grown in California. As of 2021, California also grew more than 3.9 million tons of wine grapes on 620,000 acres each year, producing more than 80 percent of all U.S. wine.

A thriving tech industry emerged in northern California in the 1960s, earning the area the name Silicon Valley after the main element in integrated circuits. In the 1970s and 80s, California businesses including Intel and entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple helped create personal computing. As of 2022, California boasted the most tech jobs of any state in the United States, accounting for 1.88 million jobs and a quarter of national tech productivity.

California is also known for its film industry. Los Angeles was home to the first motion picture theater in the United States , which opened in 1902. Industrial jobs and a real estate boom encouraged many people to move to Hollywood from the early to mid-1900s. The 1930s welcomed the “Golden Age” of Hollywood, cemented by the creation of Technicolor and Walt Disney ’s studios. Almost half of today’s film sector jobs in the United States are based in Los Angeles.

As of 2022, California had the largest economy of any state in the U.S. In 1997, it was the first state to reach the trillion-dollar benchmark in gross state product (GDP). As of 2021, California was ranked the fifth-largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $3.1 trillion.

Date of Statehood: September 9, 1850

Capital: Sacramento

Population: 39,538,223 (2020)

Size: 163,694 square miles

Nickname(s): The Golden State; The Land of Milk and Honey; The El Dorado State; The Grape State

Motto: Eureka (“I have found it”)

Tree: California Redwood

Flower : Poppy

Bird: California Valley Quail

Interesting Facts

• The highest and lowest points in the continental United States are located within 100 miles of one another in California: Mount Whitney measures 14,505 feet, and Badwater Basin in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level.
• Considered to be the hottest, driest place in the United States, Death Valley often reaches temperatures greater than 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer and averages only around two inches of rain each year.
• With a trunk slightly greater than 36 feet in diameter at its base and 275 feet tall, the General Sherman in Sequoia National Park is the largest living tree (by volume) in the world. It is estimated to be about 2,200 years old.
• About one-half of California's land is federally owned. National parks located throughout the state are devoted to the preservation of nature and natural resources.
• Southern California has about 10,000 earthquakes each year, although only 15 to 20 of them have a magnitude greater than 4.0.
• Dr. Maya Angelou  was San Francisco’s first Black female streetcar conductor. The civil rights activist, poet and author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings went on to recite one of her poems at Bill Clinton ’s presidential inauguration.

Agriculture Facts,  aeps.calpoly.edu

Native People of California, kids.nationalgeographic.com

"The First Peoples of California," loc.gov

"Religion and Capitalism as Motivators for Colonial Exploitation," gallatin.nyu.edu

"Revealing the history of genocide against California’s Native Americans," newsroom.ucla.edu

"Early California: pre-1769–1840s: Early Explorers," picturethis.museumca.org

Spanish California, loc.gov

"California Indians, Before, During, and After the Mission Era," californiamissionsfoundation.org

"Fourth Grade in California Public Schools," district.mpcsd.org

The Missions, loc.gov

"Early History of the California Coast," nps.gov

"European Exploration: Voyages of Discovery,"  csun.edu

"Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo - A Voyage of Exploration," nps.gov

"Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Arizona and California," nps.gov

"Mexican California," loc.gov

Americans Arrive – 1840s to 1890s, ci.emeryville.ca.us

"Gold!," loc.gov

"The Discovery of Gold," loc.gov

"The Forty Niners," loc.gov

"From Gold Rush to Golden State," loc.gov

"U.S. Census Bureau History: The California Gold Rush," census.gov

State Symbols, library.ca.gov

"The Dust Bowl, California, and the Politics of Hard Times," capitolmuseum.ca.gov

"The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture," okhistory.org

California Migration History 1850-2018, depts.washington.edu

U.S. and World Population Clock, census.gov

Immigrants in California, americanimmigrationcouncil.org

California Agricultural Production Statistics, cdfa.ca.gov

Media & Trade, discovercaliforniawines.com

"California Grape Acreage Report, 2020 Summary," nass.usda.gov

California and U.S. Wine Production, wineinstitute.org

Silicon Valley, California, americanhistory.si.edu

High Tech, business.ca.gov

"California State Facts: The First Time The Golden State...,"  California.gov

Hollywood, California, americanhistory.si.edu

"Film and Digital Media Industry Los Angeles County Perspective," file.lacounty.gov

"How Might California Really Rank As A Country?" cafwd.org

California, forbes.com

The General Sherman Tree, nps.gov

Maya Angelou, biography.com

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California History Society: Exploring the Past

Table of Contents

Welcome to the California History Society , your gateway to delving into the fascinating heritage of California. As a renowned organization dedicated to research, preservation, and education, we are committed to uncovering the untold stories of the state’s rich past.

Located in San Francisco, the California History Society serves as a hub for historical research and collaboration. Our museum and archives house a vast collection of historical documents, photographs, and artifacts, providing invaluable resources for historians, researchers, and enthusiasts alike.

Through our mission-driven events and engaging publications, we strive to enrich our understanding of California’s history and share it with a wider audience. From captivating exhibits to insightful lectures, our events offer unique opportunities to explore different aspects of California’s cultural heritage .

Key Takeaways:

• California History Society is dedicated to exploring the rich history of California .
• They focus on research, preservation, and education.
• The society offers a museum and archives with a vast collection of historical documents and artifacts.
• Through events and publications, they promote a deeper understanding of California’s history.
• The society plays a vital role in preserving California’s cultural heritage for future generations.

California History: A Publication Journey

California History is a quarterly journal that has been published since 1922. It features scholarly and illustrated essays that span from pre-Columbian times to the present day. The journal also highlights the California Historical Society’s collection, includes pictorial essays, book reviews, and editorials. With a commitment to publishing new and under-explored subjects, the journal aims to offer innovative interpretations and connect California’s history to the broader context of the region, nation, and world.

One of the key strengths of California History is the diverse range of topics it covers. From the early Native American inhabitants to the Spanish colonization, Mexican California , and the Gold Rush , the journal provides a comprehensive exploration of California’s past. By featuring both scholarly research and visual content, it creates a captivating reading experience that appeals to both academic researchers and history enthusiasts.

The California Historical Society Quarterly also plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting California’s unique history. By showcasing the society’s collection and archives, it allows readers to delve deeper into specific aspects of California’s past. Whether it’s exploring the early missions, examining the impact of the Gold Rush , or examining the development of California’s diverse communities, the journal offers valuable insights and perspectives.

Moreover, California History serves as a platform for groundbreaking research and innovative interpretations. It provides a space for scholars and historians to share their latest discoveries and present fresh perspectives on well-known events and figures in California’s history. By publishing new and under-explored subjects, the journal contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the state’s past.

Through its commitment to high-quality content and rigorous scholarly standards, California History has become a trusted resource for anyone interested in California’s history. Its rich collection of essays, pictorials, and reviews allows readers to engage with the diverse narratives that have shaped the Golden State. Whether it’s researching for academic purposes or simply satisfying a curiosity about the past, the journal offers a valuable window into California’s rich and complex history.

Uncovering California’s Early History

California’s history is a captivating tapestry, woven with the threads of exploration, colonization, and transformation. It all began in the 16th century with the arrival of Spanish explorers who set foot on the picturesque shores of California. These daring explorers, driven by curiosity and the prospects of new horizons, marked the beginning of Spanish California .

Spanish California , with its golden coastline and vast landscapes, witnessed a gradual but determined Spanish presence. In the mid-1530s, the Spanish started establishing their influence and laying the foundations of their settlements in the region. However, it wasn’t until 1542 that Spaniards sailed north to Alta California , a territory that would become a crucial part of their empire.

The mission era followed, a chapter that would shape California’s history for centuries to come. During this period, Spanish missionaries arrived in the region with the intention to convert the native population to Christianity and establish religious outposts known as missions. These missions profoundly impacted the lives of California’s indigenous peoples and left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of the state. The echoes of this era can still be heard in the names of towns and cities that bear the influence of Spanish colonization.

However, the Spanish reign in California was not destined to last forever. The winds of change swept through the region, and the era of Mexican California emerged. In the early 19th century, Mexico gained its independence from Spain, and with it came the transfer of California into Mexican hands.

But it was not until 1848 that California’s fate would take a dramatic turn. With the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, the allure of newfound wealth sparked a feverish rush that spread like wildfire. The news of gold spread rapidly, attracting prospectors from all corners of the globe, forever altering the landscape and destiny of California. The Gold Rush of 1848 remains a landmark event in California’s history and stands as a testament to the resilience and tenacity of those who sought their fortunes in the golden hills of the state.

The discovery of gold not only transformed the demographic and social fabric of California but also set the stage for its future development. The wealth generated by the Gold Rush laid the foundation for the growth of towns and cities , such as San Francisco, which blossomed into a thriving seaport and a center of economic activity.

Uncovering California’s early history reveals a captivating narrative that intertwines the influences of Spanish exploration, the mission era, Mexican California , and the transformative power unleashed by the discovery of gold . Each chapter has left an indelible mark on the diverse tapestry of California’s heritage, contributing to its vibrant and ever-evolving identity.

The Gold Rush: Shaping California’s Identity

The discovery of gold in California in 1848 sparked the famous Gold Rush, which brought thousands of people from all over the world to the state. The influx of immigrants, known as the forty-niners, transformed California’s population and economy. Towns and cities sprang up, with San Francisco becoming a major seaport and the center of economic activity. The Gold Rush era shaped California’s identity and set the stage for its future development.

The rapid growth and bustling activity fueled by the gold rush turned California into a hub of opportunity. As news spread, people from all walks of life flocked to the state in search of fortune. The population of California surged, creating a diverse and vibrant community of individuals hoping to strike it rich.

Towns and cities emerged along the goldfields, catering to the needs of the growing population. San Francisco, in particular, experienced a meteoric rise in prominence. Originally a small settlement known as Yerba Buena, it quickly transformed into a bustling metropolis and a major seaport. The city became the gateway not only to the goldfields but also to the opportunities and dreams that California held.

The impacts of the Gold Rush were far-reaching and shaped the trajectory of California’s future. The massive influx of people led to the establishment of institutions and infrastructure necessary to support the growing population. Businesses and industries thrived, creating a diverse and dynamic economy. The gold rush also fueled technological advancements and transportation networks, paving the way for California’s development into the “Golden State.”

The Gold Rush was not without its challenges. The rapid population growth strained resources, and social tensions emerged as people from different backgrounds converged. Nevertheless, the resilience and pioneering spirit of the forty-niners forged the foundation upon which California stood, laying the groundwork for the state’s future success.

Today, the legacy of the Gold Rush can still be seen and felt throughout California. The vibrant cities, diverse population, and entrepreneurial spirit are all reminders of the transformative era that shaped the state’s identity. From the gold rush to the present day, California’s history continues to inspire and captivate, making it a fascinating destination for those seeking to understand the story of the West.

California’s Growth and Change

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, California underwent a remarkable transformation, experiencing significant growth and change. One of the most noticeable changes was the population explosion that occurred between 1847 and 1860, with the state’s population tripling in size. This rapid increase in residents was driven by various factors, including the allure of the Gold Rush and the economic opportunities that California offered.

• Population Growth: California’s population grew exponentially as people from all over the world flocked to the state in search of fortune and a fresh start. The influx of immigrants, commonly referred to as “forty-niners,” played a crucial role in shaping the demographics and cultural diversity of the region.
• Economic Diversification: While the Gold Rush initially fueled California’s economic prosperity, the state saw an expansion beyond gold mining. Agriculture, cattle ranching, and trade flourished, making California self-sufficient in food production and contributing to its overall economic stability.
• Magnet for Tourists and Home Buyers: California’s natural beauty and unique attractions made it a magnet for tourists from around the world. Beautiful landscapes, such as Yosemite National Park and the vibrant city life in San Francisco, drew visitors seeking adventure and excitement. Additionally, the state’s thriving economy and booming industries made it an appealing destination for those looking to settle down and establish a new home.

The turn of the century marked a turning point for California as it transitioned from the “Gold Rush” era to becoming the “Golden State.” The expansion of rail service and improvement in transportation networks brought new opportunities and helped connect different regions of the state. This led to further growth and transformation, not just in terms of population but also in the state’s economy, demographics, and overall identity.

California’s growth and change during this period set the stage for its future development as a global economic powerhouse and a cultural hub. Today, the state continues to attract individuals from diverse backgrounds who seek to be a part of its vibrant communities, thriving industries, and rich history.

Preserving California’s Heritage

Preserving California’s heritage is a crucial aspect of the work carried out by the California History Society. Through our dedication to historical preservation , we ensure that the rich and diverse history of California remains accessible for generations to come.

Central to our preservation efforts are the extensive archives of the California Historical Society . These archives serve as a valuable resource for researchers and historians, providing a wealth of historical documents, photographs, and artifacts that offer unique insights into different aspects of California’s history.

In these archives, you’ll find a vast collection that covers a wide range of topics, including the Spanish colonization, Mexican California, the Gold Rush, and the state’s growth and development. Whether you’re researching specific events, exploring cultural shifts, or studying the lives of individuals who shaped California’s history, our archives provide a treasure trove of knowledge.

Researchers and historians can delve into these valuable resources to conduct in-depth investigations, uncover lesser-known narratives, and gain a deeper understanding of California’s past. We believe that by preserving and sharing this knowledge, we contribute to a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of our state’s history.

The California Historical Society’s commitment to historical preservation extends beyond maintaining the archives. We actively collaborate with experts, scholars, and other institutions to conduct research, curate exhibits, and publish valuable works that further illuminate California’s unique history.

By keeping our history alive, we not only honor the past, but we also provide future generations with a foundation to explore, learn, and connect with their heritage. From the California Historical Society’s archives to its ongoing dedication to historical preservation , we invite you to join us in uncovering the remarkable stories that make up California’s rich and diverse history.

Educating Through California’s History

The California History Society is committed to educating the public about the rich history of California . One of our key initiatives in this regard is Teaching California , an online collection of primary source sets designed to align with the state’s history-social science framework.

In collaboration with the California History-Social Science Project , we have developed these sets to provide educators with valuable resources for teaching California’s history to students from grades K-12. Within each set, you’ll find a curated selection of primary sources, accompanied by secondary context and literacy strategies that align with relevant educational standards.

By utilizing these primary source sets , teachers can bring California’s history to life in their classrooms, fostering engaging and interactive learning experiences. Students will have the opportunity to explore firsthand accounts, photographs, maps, and other historical artifacts that provide insights into the state’s past.

Teaching California is a valuable resource for educators looking to instill a deeper appreciation and understanding of California’s history among their students. By incorporating primary sources into their lessons, teachers can help students develop critical thinking skills, historical analysis abilities, and a sense of connection to the past.

Whether it’s exploring the Spanish colonization, the Gold Rush, or the many other fascinating chapters in California’s history, Teaching California equips educators with the tools they need to create immersive and impactful learning experiences for their students.

The California History Society has played a pivotal role in preserving and exploring the captivating history of California. Through its wide array of publications, engaging events, educational initiatives, and captivating museum exhibits, the society breathes life into the state’s remarkable past. From the early days of Spanish colonization to the transformative Gold Rush and beyond, the California History Society’s work illuminates the diverse cultural heritage , historical landmarks , and significant events that have shaped the vibrant tapestry of the Golden State.

Delving into California’s history allows us to develop a profound understanding of the state and its place in the wider world. By immersing ourselves in the stories of the past, we gain insights into the remarkable resilience, innovation, and diversity that have defined California throughout its history. Whether visiting the California History Museum , attending society events, or exploring the society’s extensive archives, we have the opportunity to connect with the rich tapestry of California’s past firsthand.

As we continue to explore and appreciate California’s remarkable history, it is through organizations like the California History Society that we can unlock the treasures of the past and ensure their preservation for future generations. By celebrating our cultural heritage, acknowledging the significance of historical landmarks , and fostering a deep appreciation for the state’s captivating history, the society keeps the spirit of exploration alive while providing invaluable resources for those who seek to understand and connect with California’s past.

What is the California History Society?

The California History Society is a renowned organization dedicated to exploring the rich history of California. It focuses on research, preservation, and education to uncover the untold stories of the state’s past.

What is California History?

California History is a quarterly journal published since 1922. It features scholarly and illustrated essays that span from pre-Columbian times to the present day. The journal showcases the California Historical Society’s collection, including pictorial essays, book reviews, and editorials.

How did the Spanish colonization shape California’s history?

The Spanish presence in California began in the mid-1530s, and the mission era followed, reshaping the lives of California’s native population.

What impact did the discovery of gold have on California?

The discovery of gold in 1848 sparked the famous Gold Rush, attracting thousands of immigrants and transforming California’s population and economy. Towns and cities sprang up, with San Francisco becoming a major seaport and economic center.

How did California grow and change in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

California experienced significant growth and diversification beyond gold mining. Its population tripled between 1847 and 1860, and the state’s economy expanded with agriculture, cattle ranching, and trade. The expansion of rail service also brought new opportunities and transformed the region’s demographics and economy.

How does the California History Society preserve California’s heritage?

The California History Society maintains extensive archives, housing historical documents, photographs, and artifacts that offer insights into different aspects of California’s history.

How does the California History Society educate the public about California’s history?

The California History Society’s initiative Teaching California provides primary source sets aligned with the state’s history-social science framework for educators to teach California’s history to students in grades K-12.

What does the California History Society offer for individuals interested in California’s history?

The California History Society offers publications, events, educational initiatives, and museum exhibits, bringing California’s history to life and shedding light on its diverse cultural heritage, historical landmarks , and significant events.

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• Fire Insurance Maps online (FIMo) - California This link opens in a new window Fire Insurance Maps online (FIMo) is a research portal to find and view high-definition, color Fire Insurance Maps, Real Estate Atlases, Plat Books, and other historical maps showing building structures, building construction details, property ownership, property uses, and other useful information. UC Davis has licensed the maps for the state of California.
• Digital Sanborn maps (California and Nevada) This link opens in a new window Sanborn fire insurance maps, created to assist fire insurance companies assess risk, are large-scale community plans drawn at a scale of 50 feet to one inch. The maps give street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, and house and block numbers. Sanborn maps also contain data about construction details, building use and the utilities and transportation infrastructure that supported the community overall. Several editions of maps exist for some cities. [Coverage: 1867-1970]
• California Historical Society Digital Library Includes more than 60 digitized collections covering an array of California topics.
• Bay Area Television Archive This link opens in a new window Established in 1982, the TV Archive preserves over 4000 hours of newsfilm, documentaries and other programs produced locally in the Bay Area and Northern California between 1939-2005. It is part of SF State Library’s Department of Special Collections. [Coverage: 1939-2005]

American West, Generally

• American West: Sources from the Everett D. Graff Collection at the Newberry Library, Chicago This link opens in a new window The Everett D. Graff Collection is one of the major special collections on the American West. This database contains a full-text selection of original manuscripts, maps, ephemeral material and rare printed sources from that collection. It also includes such supplementary materials as scholarly essays and data maps. It is a rich resource to explore almost any aspect of the history of the American West.
• American County Histories – Western States This link opens in a new window A fully searchable collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century histories of counties in the United States.
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Digital Research Resources for California Studies

California State Archives Overview of collections that document the broad scope of California government and its impact on the people of the state.

California Historical Society An overview of the CHS collection, which aims to represent the social, political, economic, industrial, agricultural, technological, and cultural heritage of the entire state. 

David Rumsey Map Collection Provides online access to over 24,000 maps and images with a focus on 18th and 19th century maps of North America and South America. Includes historic maps of Los Angeles, California, and American regions.  

Preservation Organizations and Historical Societies A list maintained by the Los Angeles Conservancy of historical societies for local, statewide, and national municipalities.

The Southern California Library A people's library dedicated to documenting and preserving the histories of communities in struggle for justice.  The library is open to the public and located in the West Adams neighborhood.

Finding Online Materials in California Archives

The Online Archive of California (OAC)  is a searchable database that includes finding aids for archival and primary source collections at more than 200 libraries, special collections, archives, historical societies, and museums in California, including Special Collections & Archives in the Oviatt at CSUN.

After searching, you can limit your search results by holding institution, so you can see everything on your topic at other repositories in Los Angeles (including CSUN, UCLA, Occidental, Loyola Marymount, etc.) that have contributed finding aids to the OAC.

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Online Archives of California

Search the OAC  for SJSU Special Collections & Archives content:

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Search the digital collections of  SJPL's California Room.

Search Calisphere for primary sources. 

Primary Source Databases

• Free Speech Movement Digital Archive
• ProQuest Historical Newspapers The San Francisco Chronicle This link opens in a new window Offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue. (1865-1922). From Jan 1, 1865 to Aug 31, 1868, known as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle; From Sept 1, 1868 to Aug 14, 1869, known as Daily Morning Chronicle; and from Aug 15, 1869, known as San Francisco Chronicle. Help Guide

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Flaherty Collection, Japanese Internment Collection

• CSU JAD This is an open access database of archival materials about the Japanese American Interment.

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SJSU Civil Rights Collection           SJSU Ted Sahl Collection

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Home | Services | Research

The California State Library offers a wealth of resources and information to assist your research on family history, patents, California history and law, state symbols and much more. Through its California Research Bureau , the State Library also provides nonpartisan research and expedited reference help to staff and members of the Legislature and Governor’s Office.

California History Research Guides

Our librarians have spent hundreds of hours developing research guides to help you find information and materials in our collection for specific California topics, such as railroads in California, California Native Americans, land grants, mining, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, and much more.

California Research Bureau

Since 1991, the California Research Bureau has provided independent, nonpartisan, timely and confidential policy research or analysis to the Governor’s Office and Legislature. The Research Bureau’s expedited reference assistance can help inform good public policy.

To augment the collections of the California State Library, we provide access to third party online resources such as California demographic and law databases, newspaper articles, academic journals and much more. The State Library’s online resources are available to all state government officials and employees at their worksite or remotely with a State Library card , as well as to members of the general public who visit the State Library reading rooms .

Access our genealogy toolkit to start your family history research with helpful links and a chart creator. Visit one of our reading rooms open to the public to access California county genealogy indexes , files that contain information on people in California history or third party genealogy databases.

Patents and Trademarks

As a designated Patent and Trademark Resource Center , the California State Library can provide free access to electronic and print patent and trademark resources , and our staff can assist with general questions and provide assistance and instruction in the use of patent and trademark resources.

Reference Assistance

Our skilled librarians can assist you in locating library materials. Submit requests online at Ask A Librarian , by email at [email protected] , or by phone at 916-323-9843 . Members and staff of the state Legislature and Governor’s Office may contact the California Research Bureau for reference help.

State Symbols

Learn about California’s state symbols , which are set by law. While most people know the state animal is the California grizzly bear, did you know there is a state dinosaur (Augustynolophus morrisi), a state insect (California dogface butterfly), a state dance (West Coast swing) or that the state has 40 over symbols?

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Collection California as I Saw It: First-Person Narratives of California's Early Years, 1849 to 1900

Early california history: an overview.

• Mexican California In 1808, Spain's American colonies, one by one, began to fight for independence. Even before this spirit spread to Mexico, California felt the effects of the rebellions, for Spain's hard-pressed navy could not spare ships to bring supplies to the missions, presidios, and pueblos north of San Diego. Thus, in the dozen years that followed, local authorities relaxed restrictions on trading with non-Spanish merchants…

• The Turn of the Century in California California had become part of the life of the United States in the middle of the nineteenth century--an exotic land of untold promise on the distant Pacific Coast. At the beginning of the twentieth century, California seemed less exotic, and the land's promises seemed more limited. And these developments resulted from many factors other than the end of the rush for gold and easy…

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CFP: Special Issue of California History: "American Revolutions in California"

Tuesday, august 06, 2024 8:11 am | anonymous member (administrator).

In 2026, the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In light of this significant occasion,   the journal  California History  is preparing a special issue focusing on “American Revolutions in California.” This issue will examine the legacies of the Declaration and the American Revolution in the nation’s largest state, and the potential for new approaches to research, public presentations, and teaching American Revolutionary history as informed by the California experience.

The journal invites submissions exploring topics relating to American Revolutions in California. These may include, among many possibilities: the impact of the Declaration’s political ideology and the model of the U.S. Constitution on the founding of the state; the impact of the “continental” concept of the U.S. on California’s Indigenous peoples; interconnections among the American Revolution, the Mexican Revolution, and the origins of the state; the ways in which the multi-ethnic origins of the state did or did not change the original meanings of the American Founding; the “Three Revolutions” – the American Founding, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement – in California history; the ways in which the American Revolution did or did not inspire the powerful Progressive Movement in the state; the repeated trope of “revolutions” in California cultural history.

California History  seeks several types of submissions:

• Original Research or Research-in-Progress essays on a topic relating to “American Revolutions in California.”
• Public History essays – detailing exhibits, websites, blogs, etc. – on “American Revolutions in California.”
• Pedagogical essays discussing teaching materials, lesson plans, and experiences centered on teaching the Declaration and/ or the American Revolution in California classrooms. 
• Forum essays: featuring accessibly written, academically sound opinion pieces interpreting current events through an historical lens, in this case as they relate to the Declaration and/or American Revolution in California. 

Submission Process

The journal welcomes submissions from scholars at all stages of their careers, including college and university faculty, public historians, secondary school teachers, and graduate students.

A 200- to 250-word abstract and 1-page CV (providing name of author, professional appointment or affiliation, field of expertise, and current research or awards) are due no later than December 15, 2024.

Manuscript submissions will be due no later than September 15, 2025. 

Editorial Process

The Guest Editors will conduct an initial review. Selected manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review. Final essays will be due no later than April 1, 2026.

Interested contributors with questions are encouraged to contact Guest Editors Jason Daniels,  [email protected]  or Dee E. Andrews,  [email protected] . All materials should be sent as attachments to Mary Ann Irwin, Editor,  California History,  at  [email protected] .

About the Journal

Originally launched and published by the California Historical Society for nearly a century,  California History  is the premier journal of historical writing on California. This tradition continues under the auspices of the University of California Press. Showcasing scholarship, engaging writing, and innovative research,  California History  is essential reading for students and scholars of the history of California and the West, as well as California residents curious about the imprint of the state’s rich past.

For more details, see https://online.ucpress.edu/ch/pages/submit.

Contact Information

[email protected]

Contact Email

[email protected]

https://online.ucpress.edu/ch/pages/submit

History: Finding Primary Sources California History

• About this Guide
• Scholarly Books
• Book Analysis Lists
• What Are Databases?
• About & Finding Databases
• Developing Topics & Research Questions
• Resource Types
• Reading Scholarly Articles
• Evaluating Information
• Finding Primary Sources American History
• Finding Primary Sources Asian History
• Finding Primary Sources California History
• Citing in Chicago / Turabian
• Getting Research Help

Finding Primary Sources

There are many places to find these types of sources.

• archives / museums
• reference books

Not everything is available online or online for free.

Many reference books will contain the text of historical documents, reproductions of maps, statistics, etc. These are considered primary even though they have been collected into a book. Reference books, however, also contain analysis of documents, which would be considered secondary. Use the parts that fit your information need.

The Merced County Courthouse Museum  is also an excellent resource for local Merced History 

Databases that include Primary Sources

Many of these databases also contain other source types, so make sure you use the limiters to filter results to the kind of content you're interested in.

An online database collection on African American history and culture Developed with the guidance of African American librarians and subject specialists

America: History & Life with Full Text is the definitive database of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. With selective selective indexing for 1,700 journals from 1955 to present, this database is without question the most important bibliographic reference tool for students and scholars of U.S. and Canadian history. America: History & Life with Full Text also provides full-text coverage of more than 200 journals and nearly 100 books.

The American Indian Experience is an invaluable digital resource that provides in-depth historical accounts and cultural information about the indigenous peoples of North America.

The first-ever database dedicated to the history and culture of Latinos, the largest, fastest growing minority group in the United States.

• MasterFILE Complete (EBSCO) Designed for public libraries, provides full text for nearly 1,700 general reference publications dating back as far as 1975 covering nearly every subject area. Also contains full text for nearly 500 reference books and over 164,000 primary source documents and over 500,000 images.

Suggested Reference and Non-Fiction Books

Many of these reference books include a mixture of source types, including primary sources (text of historical documents, statistics, etc.), secondary sources (analysis of the historical documents, statistics, etc.), and tertiary sources (bibliographies, references, etc).

• The Earth Is Our Mother by Dolan H. Eargle; Nancy Record (Illustrator) Call Number: REF 979.4 Ear ISBN: 9780937401040 Publication Date: 1987-10-01

Newspapers are an excellent place to go for primary sources. Use this Research Guide for California Newspapers.  This primarily for the Central Valley, although some of these papers are from Los Angeles and San Diego.  These are published in English, Spanish, and Russian.

So You want to find Local News?

Selected Primary Source Websites for General U.S. History

These are some examples of online primary resource collections.

There are many university and government libraries and museums with online collections of primary source materials. Find these collections using Google .

• To limit your results to sites that end with .gov, at the end of the words you enter in the search box, type  site:.gov
• To limit your results to sites that end with .edu, at the end of the words you enter in the search box, type  site:.edu

You can even add the words library or archive to the end of the words you enter in the search box to see if a library out there has a collection on your topic, historical period, or historical figure.

If you have a collection you want to share, contact the librarians .

• AMDOCS: Documents for the Study of American History Developed by Lynn Nelson, Professor Emeritus of History, University of Kansas, AMDOCS provides links to documents related to American and U.S. political, diplomatic, military, and legal history. Documents range from the 1400s through 2009.
• American Memory The Library of Congress's American Memory has a growing collection of digitized primary source documents from different time periods in U.S. history.
• BIA Records: California This guide is arranged geographically by state and thereunder contains a listing of tribes and bands living within that state’s borders. Under each entry for a tribe or band is a list of the BIA offices which had a jurisdictional relationship with that tribe, and for which the National Archives holds records.
• California: First Person Narratives The collection covers the dramatic decades between the Gold Rush and the turn of the twentieth century. It captures the pioneer experience; encounters between Anglo-Americans and the diverse peoples who had preceded them; the transformation of the land by mining, ranching, agriculture, and urban development; the often-turbulent growth of communities and cities; and California's emergence as both a state and a place of uniquely American dreams.
• California Digital Newspaper Collection This collection contains 531,362 issues comprising 5,706,943 pages and 39,566,417 articles.
• Calisphere Discover over one million photographs, documents, letters, artwork, diaries, oral histories, films, advertisements, musical recordings, and more. devoted to California History. The collections on Calisphere have been digitized and contributed by all ten campuses of the University of California and other important libraries, archives, and museums throughout the state.
• Chinese in California The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 illustrates nineteenth and early twentieth century Chinese immigration to California through about 8,000 images and pages of primary source materials. Included are photographs, original art, cartoons and other illustrations; letters, excerpts from diaries, business records, and legal documents; as well as pamphlets, broadsides, speeches, sheet music, and other printed matter.
• Digital History This website was designed and developed to support the teaching of American History in K-12 schools and colleges and is supported by the College of Education at the University of Houston.
• Digital Public Library of America The DPLA is "a portal that delivers students, teachers, scholars, and the public to incredible resources, wherever they may be in America."
• Discovering American Women's History Online Primary sources in women's history. From the Middle Tennessee State University.
• Docs Teach The online tool for teaching with documents, from the National Archives
• Early Films of California This collection consists of twenty-six films of San Francisco from before and after the Great Earthquake and Fire, 1897-1916. Seventeen of the films depict San Francisco and its environs before the 1906 disaster. Seven films describe the great earthquake and fire. The two later films include a 1915 travelogue that shows scenes of the rebuilt city and a tour of the Panama Pacific Exposition and a 1916 propaganda film.
• Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement: A Digital Archive The Bancroft Library's documentation of the Japanese American experience during World War II includes over 530,000 primary source materials drawn from an extensive collection of manuscripts and photographs. The materials in the Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement Digital Archive are pulled from our voluminous holdings and reveal the multifaceted experience from this complex time in US history.
• Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog Historical prints and photographs. Most are in the public domain.
• Library of Congress Resources for California The extensive collections at the Library of Congress contain historic artifacts and cultural materials from across the U.S. The list below is just a sample of the many California resources available for free on the Library's Web site.
• Mapping History Interactive and animated map representations of historical problems, events, developments, and dynamics. From the University of Oregon.
• The Multicultural West The Multicultural American West is a resource site for the interactive exchange of ideas, information, and educational tools related to the US West in multicultural and intercultural perspective.
• National Archives and Records Administration Scanned text and images. "All of the digital images that are available on [the] website are in the public domain."
• National Security Archive From George Washington University. There are many resources on California here but you may have to dig for them.
• Old Maps Online Search for online digital historical maps across numerous different collections via a geographical search. Search by typing a place-name or by clicking in the map window, and narrow by date. Funded by JISC. Many participating institutions. Many of these maps are in the public domain.
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The Railyards

Events that Changed the Shape of California

Countless factors have shaped California over the course of its history, from the small moments in our daily lives to larger-than-life historical events.

California is known for many things: sun-kissed beaches, redwood forests, fertile farmland, cable cars, box cars, and the entertainment industry, to name a few. In its nearly 170 years of history, there have been a number of events that shaped the Golden State. Looking back over the years, which events have had the largest impact on California?

Here are six things that played a pivotal role in creating the California we know today:

The Gold Rush

Just before California became a state in the union, the most well-known and impactful event in the history of California took place: the discovery of gold in 1848.

While overseeing the construction of a sawmill on the American River, James W. Marshall first spotted gold shining in the waters of what is now known as Sutters Creek.

The news of this event spread far and wide, bringing on a population boom of epic proportions. 

The first gold seekers who came to the area were from nearby San Francisco, where it was reported that three-quarters of the male population had abandoned their jobs to seek fortunes in the nearby area. They left empty storefronts and businesses in their wake. The next wave of migrants came from lands accessible by boat, such as Oregon, Hawaii, Mexico, Chile, Peru, and China.

After President James Polk announced the corroboration of the accounts of the abundance of gold in his inaugural speech, the gold rush was officially on. Men left their homes, families, and farms across the United States as they headed to California in pursuit of gold.

By the end of 1949, the non-native population of California had jumped from just 800 (in early 1948) to 100,000.

With the influx of (mostly) men from all over the world searching for riches, towns popped up throughout the Sacramento area and surrounding foothills. Sacramento became a boom town, turning into a bustling city overnight.

Rarely do areas see such rapid migration , gaining an immediate and large population over the course of one year.

When California ran out of gold, it maintained its population. Many California newcomers remained, forever altering its social, environmental, and political landscape.

The Sierra Club

While the Gold Rush was great for California's growth, it did not benefit the state's natural resources.

Environmental changes brought on by rapidly growing populations of gold miners throughout California were wreaking havoc on the pristine landscape.

The Scottish-born naturalist John Muir and his supporters had the foresight to see that, without government regulation, scenic California could fall victim to limitless development and be stripped of its majestic beauty.

Muir believed natural parks and forests should be preserved and resources rendered off-limits to industrial interests.

Establishing the Sierra Club in 1982, Muir and other founding members created the organization to "explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth." Muir was the club's first president, presiding until he died in 1914.

In the early 1900s, the National Park Service was created, with Sierra Club member Stephen Mather appointed as its first Director.

Over the years, the Sierra Club has helped fight to protect California's natural resources in Yosemite, the Coastal Redwoods, and Calaveras Big Trees, to name a few.

John Muir, known as the "Father of the National Parks" and founding president of the Sierra Club, was not without his faults. In 2020, the Sierra Club announced it was time for "some truth-telling about the Sierra Club's early history." Muir may have been a staunch conservationist who fought to protect the natural beauty of California, but he was also a man who held troubling beliefs and made racist comments about Indigenous, Mexican, and Black people.

The Sierra Club's impact on California is evident, as its preservation efforts helped maintain the beautiful landscape. The natural beauty and wonder of California is a draw, attracting visitors from all over the globe and bringing in more than $134 billion in tourism dollars to the state each year.

The Transcontinental Railroad and Agriculture

As gold mining dwindled, it gave rise to the success of the cattle industry. It was a short-lived success.

From December 1861 to January 1862, California was struck by the greatest flood period in the state's history. Weeks of constant rainfall and heavy snowfall in the Sierras turned California into a flood-ravaged sea. While the entire state was underwater, Sacramento suffered the worst.

Over 200,000 head of cattle were lost in these floods, destroying California's most profitable industry.

Following the devastation, Californians rebuilt their homes and businesses, but the ranching industry could not recover from the loss of cattle.

It wasn't until the "Big Four"– ambitious businessmen and politicians Charles Crocker, California Governor Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, and Mark Hopkins – founded the Central Pacific Railroad in 1861 that new industries began to take hold in California.

Connecting the West Coast to East, the Transcontinental Railroad stretched from Sacramento to Iowa, where it met up with existing railroads branched throughout the East. 

While the booming industry at the Sacramento Railyards had no shortage of employment opportunities – in 1910, 33% of all Sacramento jobs were with the Southern Pacific Railroad – the most formative change that came with the Transcontinental Railroad was California's ability to export its most valuable resource: fresh produce.

The first ice-cooled freight car was built in the Sacramento Railroad Shops , thus enabling California-grown fruit to be shipped throughout the country.

For the first time, California produce and salmon shipments could travel by train to the East Coast. The demand for California-grown produce boomed, and the agricultural industry became a major force in the Golden State.

This forever changed California's agricultural industry and the whole country's ability to access healthy, fresh foods.

Today, California agriculture is a $49 billion dollar industry that generates at least $100 billion in related economic activity. For 50 years, California has been the most productive agricultural state in the nation. Over a third of the country's vegetables and nearly three-quarters of the country's fruits and nuts are grown in California. The agriculture industry in California is a representation of the early Californian ranchers and farmers, such as the Spanish missionaries and the Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian cultures that worked the land. Nearly every nationality is represented in California agriculture.

The Transcontinental Railroad made an indelible mark on the entire country, but the innovation in Sacramento's railyard shops forever altered the economy of California by ushering in the agricultural age.

San Francisco Earthquake and Fire

Rupturing the San Andreas fault from the north and south of San Francisco, at a length of 296 miles, the quake could be felt all the way from Los Angeles to Oregon and even in parts of Nevada. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake immediately demobilized the city's water main system, making it impossible for firefighters to combat the flames that soon followed.

The numbers tell the tale of devastation:

• 3,000 lives lost
• 28,000 buildings leveled
• 250,000 citizens rendered homeless

While this was a tragedy of epic proportions, the post-quake rebuilding of San Francisco truly changed the shape of California.

Developers and builders immediately began rebuilding the leveled city from scratch.

The destruction from the 1906 earthquake allowed planners to create a new and improved city. The Western boomtown had grown in a haphazard manner since the Gold Rush of 1849. Working from a nearly clean slate, the city of San Francisco was able to be rebuilt with a more logical and elegant structure. The destruction of the urban center of San Francisco also encouraged the growth of new towns around the San Francisco Bay, making room for a population boom arriving from other parts of the United States and abroad.

A new San Francisco, built to better withstand earthquakes, rose out of the ashes of the tragic events of April 18, 1906. The iconic California city revered throughout the world today would not exist without the devastation of the 1906 earthquake.

See photos of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake at the National Archives Catalog.

The Golden Gate Bridge

It's a national landmark serving as a worldwide symbol of the Golden West, but the Golden Gate Bridge wasn't always popular.

Many were against its construction, with over 2,300 lawsuits filed against the project before it broke ground.

Environmentalists like John Muir and Ansel Adams feared it would mare the natural, pristine beauty of the landscape.

And maybe it would've, had it been built to its original design. The public wasn't pleased when the original bridge concept was revealed. The press called it "ugly."

Even the Southern Pacific Railroad, with vast investment interests in the lucrative boat system that would ferry souls across the bay, fought the building of the bridge that would provide people a new path to and from the city; they didn't want it cutting into their stronghold and reducing their profits.

Once all the legal hurdles were traversed, the project broke ground in 1933 and was opened a short four years later, ahead of schedule and below budget , with a celebration that lasted for a week.

The 840 million-ton bridge set a world record for the longest bridge span when it was constructed in 1937. The bridge cost $35 million to construct in the 1930s, equivalent to $1.5 billion today.

Now, one could hardly imagine the bay without its Golden Gate. Although it is often enshrouded in a blanket of fog, the bridge shines brightly as one of California's most iconic and recognizable symbols.

2017 Wildfire Devastation

October through December of 2017 saw a rash of historically destructive wildfires raging through Northern and Southern California.

Governor Jerry Brown was not exaggerating when quoted as saying, "This is truly one of the greatest, if not the greatest tragedy that California has ever faced. The devastation is just unbelievable, it's a horror that no one could have imagined."

It is believed that the new growth in California's forests and wildlands was spurned by the heavy rains of the 2016-2017 winter season, which then dried out and provided massive amounts of fodder for the fires. This, coupled with dry autumn conditions and heavy winds in 2017, made conditions just right for everything to go wrong.

As of mid-December 2017, more than 10,000 structures in California had been damaged or destroyed, a number that soars above an accumulation of the last nine years together. Devastatingly, 43 people were killed by the large wildfires in California, a number that is greater than the last ten years combined.

The destruction from the fires led to another disaster the following month when mudslides in Santa Barbara sent water and mud rushing into Montecito. The mudslides destroyed over 100 homes, evacuated thousands and resulted in 20 lives lost. The damaging mudslide has been directly tied to the catastrophic Thomas Fire that destroyed 300,000 acres the prior month.

Damage claims from those affected by the fires reached $11.8 billion, making them the most expensive series of wildfires in state history. Economic experts warn that the true cost to the State economy could reach $100 billion in the long term, bringing fiscal pain for years to come as California attempts to rebuild and rise from the ashes.

From moments that brought a population boom, changed the way our cities look, affected industry, and changed the physical landscape, the events that shaped California into the state it is today are vast and far-reaching.

This post was updated in 2023 to reflect updated information and statistics. It was originally published in 2018.

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Related posts.

A California History Timeline Part 1: Early California Life

4 Historical California Stops for Your Next Road Trip

A California History Timeline Part 3: The Rise and Fall of the Railroads

A California History Timeline Part 2: a Gold Rush to Prosperity

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California Out of the Box: An Interdisciplinary History Curriculum

California Out of the Box: An Interdisciplinary History Curriculum takes a unit study approach to the study of California history, incorporating geography, science, language arts, and critical thinking. While the curriculum covers the California State Standards for fourth grade (up through the 1930s) it can be used with grades three through six. Coverage of history is sufficient for one school year, but other subject areas are not covered sufficiently for a full year’s credit.

A parent or teacher will present the course from this 301-page book along with eight additional required books. Stories from Where We Live: California Coast and the National Audubon Society Field Guide to California are both used throughout the study. The other six books used in each of the course’s six units are Island of the Blue Dolphins, Valley of the Moon: The Diary of Maria Rosalia de Milagros, A Gift for Abuelita, By the Great Horn Spoon!, The Earth Dragon Awakes , and Esperanza Rising . ( Stories from Where We Live: California Coast has gone out of print, so Carrier Shell Curriculum has received permission to reprint most of the stories in two volumes which they sell as the Stories Combo Set. The two volumes are titled  The California Coast  reader [spiral-bound] and California Out of the Box Supplement  [paperback].)

More books are suggested for each unit but are not required. For families with younger students participating in the study, there is a list of suggested picture books that might be used along with each unit.

The historical fiction books serve as the anchors for the study, providing students with context for learning aspects of California history. Like many unit studies, California Out of the Box offers opportunities for lots of hands-on activities, including choices to suit different types of learners.

Instructions at the front of the book explain how to prepare a three-brad pocket folder for each student. Handouts in the appendices are to be copied, punched with holes, and placed in the folder. Families are given permission to copy these pages for family members, but schools or co-ops need to purchase a class license. Alternatively, you can purchase the California Out of the Box Student Folder book, which has all the handouts for the curriculum.

Course author, Christine Echeverri, believes that effective learning includes taking children to deeper levels of thinking. She introduces sections of the reading with what she calls “big questions” that correlate with themes of the books. Examples of these “big questions” are: “What can myths teach us?” and “How are humans and animals connected?” (both on page 27), and “Why is history worth knowing?” (on page 57). “Reflections” are yet another avenue for student responses. Reflections might be a single question or activity or a series of questions and activities that involve discussion, writing, and drawing. Many of the questions and reflections help students think through the “big questions.” She also has the expected comprehension, discussion, and review questions.

Projects are included as well. Some projects are to be completed by all students. For example, during the study of Island of the Blue Dolphins , all students will create a collection of leaves, plants, and flowers and learn how to identify them with the Audubon Guide . Sometimes students choose from a number of project options such as in the study of By the Great Horn Spoon! where students can choose one or two of the five suggested projects. Each of those projects has multiple parts. For instance, the music project on page 111 begins with a discussion of words used in the story in relation to gold. Students then become familiar with the song “Oh Susanna!” A discussion of the song’s lyrics follows this. The culminating activity for the project is for the student to write two verses of their own to add to “Oh Susanna!” On page 114, another project for this same lesson begins with a discussion and some internet research, then students use recycled materials to create a model of a mining camp.

The course occasionally presents research activities that direct students to specific internet sites. Some research activities are brief with no written response, but some have students take notes and make sketches in a sketchbook to document their research.

Timeline activities are included throughout the course. As the author explains, these can be done in a low-tech fashion with note cards or in a high-tech fashion using the free online site Timetoast .

Science is covered through nature observation and activities as students study topics such as geology, weather, and habitats. Geography is taught through reading, discussion, internet research, and map work. Under language arts, students cover literature, vocabulary, composition, and research. Critical thinking is developed by the questions and discussions.

Parents or teachers should choose what types of responses and activities to require from students, depending upon their age and ability. For instance, an older student might write a multi-paragraph summary while a young student might give a brief oral narration. “End of Unit” questions are designed for fifth and sixth graders for additional discussion, writing, or projects. Some questions and activities have predictable answers, so an answer key is provided in an appendix.

Religious beliefs, the California missions, and Catholicism (all in relation to California) are discussed, but the presentation is secular—it does not promote any religious point of view.

The book is available in your choice of spiral-bound, perfect-bound, and PDF formats. Since the interior pages are printed in black and white, and you will need to copy a number of these for students, I would suggest the digital download for most situations. But if you think you want to print out the pages from which you will teach as well, a printed copy might be more practical since there about 300 pages.

California Out of the Box: An Interdisciplinary History Curriculum should appeal to those who want a program that is adaptable for students of different ages and abilities. This course can simultaneously be challenging for sixth graders and accessible for third graders. The interdisciplinary approach based on historical fiction also promises to be a more interesting option than a traditional textbook.

Pricing Information

When comparison prices appear, please keep in mind that they are subject to change. Click on links where available to verify price accuracy.

spiral-bound - $38.95 perfect-bound - $39.95 (through Amazon) digital download - $33.95 Stories Combo Set - $18.95 Student Folder - $16.95

• $43.06 at Amazon.com
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California Out of the Box Student Folder

• $10.70 at Amazon.com
• $10.70 Used at Amazon.com Marketplace

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California Research paper ideas

By Love2Smile , January 25, 2011 in The College Board

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My dd grade 10 just started taking one class at CC. It is a California History course. She is assigned an 8 page research paper with anything having to do with California.

Any ideas? She wants to do a paper on the California Grizzly Bear and how it became the State "animal"

Any other interesting ideas a 16 year old might like to do??

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Share on other sites, carol in cal..

Water issues. That's one of the most interesting, semi-obscure things about CA history.

Early miners fought over water rights because so many mines had no access to natural sources of running water, pictures of gold panners notwithstanding. The Mono Lake issues and history might be a good way to organize some of the more modern water issues. Currently we basically have our biggest population centers completely dependent on remote water sources--fundamentally unstable, in any sane view that includes earthquake propensities. And our reserves for the Mediteranean climate (meaning essentially no precipitation for 3-5 months of the year) that comprises most of those centers are held in snowpacks, not behind dams. If global warming makes the snow melt, on average, a month earlier than it does now, which the data tends to support, then we will have severe water shortages during the dry months.

Photo Ninja

I suggest she check with the instructor to see if her idea about the grizzly bear is what the teacher expects. A research paper at the college level usually needs a thesis that is then discussed and proven in the paper. Her idea about the grizzly bear sounds more like a report. Having her verify her topic with the instructor will make sure she is working at the expected level.

She may want to change her topic to be more about the grizzly bear and its meaning to CA, and its population during the 1800s to today, effects of population on its territory, etc.

I like the water idea. CA is in a bad situation with water management.

Other possible topics:

Effects of immigration on agriculture

The trans-continental railroad and its effects on population in CA or the economy of CA

The CA native Americans and the missions. Interesting tidbit: The Spaniards set up missions throughout Mexico, instructing the native Americans there. When they got to CA, they found that the native Americans in CA were mostly still hunter/gatherers, lower level of society than people in Mexico, and they had to change their methods of instruction to teach them agricultural skills. She could analyze the effect this had on the length of time the native Americans tended to spend at the missions and the effects of this new information and skills on the tribes themselves.

The effects of the gold rush on the Civil War.

Immigration and the gold rush

Farming and water management in the central valley over the past 100 years, problems and solutions.

I appreciate your replies. My daughter just turned 16 and has never done a formal research paper. Niether have I for that matter! LOL

So I don't know what we are going to do. However I did take out many books at our local library on her "bear idea" and they have a lot of great info we can use. So although it may sound elementary, her teacher did give his approval and I think we are going to go with it.

Yolanda in Mass

Make sure your daughter takes full advantage of the CC's resources such as the writing lab. I assume the school has one. If she's never done a research paper, and she wants extra help or editing, that's the place to go. My son used the writing lab and it helped improve his writing immensely. Good luck!

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How Have California’s Water Issues Changed in the Past Thirty Years?

Sarah Bardeen , Ellen Hanak , Jeffrey Mount , Brian Gray , and Letitia Grenier

This blog post is the seventh in a series commemorating PPIC’s 30th anniversary.

Back in 1994, Ace of Base and Boys II Men were chart-topping artists , “The Lion King” was the year’s most popular movie …and the Public Policy Institute of California drew its first breath. A lot has changed in California since then, so we sat down with key PPIC Water Policy Center staff to discuss what’s changed—and what hasn’t—in the California water world since the year the White House launched its first webpage .

How did PPIC work on water issues in the beginning?

Ellen Hanak : PPIC was founded at the end of a drought that spanned 1987–92. That drought was really formative for California’s cities. There was trauma.

Jeffrey Mount : We were months away from water rationing in 1991, which is a nightmare for anyone in the water business.

EH : My first projects for PPIC dealt with water trading , urban water use , and a looming growth and infrastructure crisis . Then Delta issues cropped up because Jeff had just written a very influential piece with a researcher at UC Berkeley about the fragility of the Delta levees, which were facing growing threats from sea level rise and earthquakes. Given the Delta’s importance for California’s water supply—some 25 million people and 3 million acres of farmland depend on water that comes through the Delta—this got a lot of attention.

JM : That 2005 paper really lit the fuse on a bomb by daylighting this major infrastructure problem. This work led to two PPIC-sponsored books on envisioning and comparing futures for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.

EH : In those books, our recommendations on alternative means of conveying water through the Delta received the most attention. In 1982, California voters had rejected a proposal to build a peripheral canal around the Delta to reduce the vulnerability of Delta freshwater exports to seawater intrusion; the question of conveyance was untouchable for a long time after that. We made it okay to talk about alternative conveyance from the perspective of not just water supply, but also the future of the Delta’s ecosystem. It turns out that the way California moves water through the Delta is pretty disruptive to native species that depend on this ecosystem.

Brian Gray : PPIC’s analysis gave the topic of alternative conveyance credibility, and it put the issue back into public debate.

JM : It became part of our DNA, that we could say the unsayable. If anyone else brought it up, they had a dog in the fight, but we didn’t.

EH : There was something for everybody to love and everybody to hate in our publications, and it kind of worked because of that. Going forward, that became our winning formula. When you interview stakeholders now about our role in California water policy, they admit that they may not like what we’re saying, but they recognize that we’re not in one camp all the time. That allows them to hear what we have to say.

What big changes have occurred in California water in the last 30 years?

EH : Urban resilience has improved dramatically. We now have millions more people in the state, but we’re using same amount of water in our cities and suburbs as in 1990. There’s a lot more local infrastructure, and there are water-sharing arrangements. The urban sector has become much more sophisticated. This was largely a local-led revolution, but it was supported by billions of dollars of state cost-share money, because voters were very motivated to pass state bonds to help.

JM : The most transformative behavioral change is urban water use. But the most transformative legislation in the last 30 years is the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which is leading to major changes in how we manage groundwater—an essential resource.

Also, for the last 25 years, all Californians have seen changes in their climate. It’s here, it’s happening now, and we’re no longer trying to convince anybody that it’s a problem. Now we’re just arguing about how we’re going to deal with it. That represents a major societal shift here in California.

BG : Another significant change is the development of water markets . Thirty years ago, there was widespread skepticism of water transfers. Today, both the agricultural and urban sectors acknowledge the benefits that water markets provide —such as moving water to areas of acute shortage during drought, smoothing some transition costs of SGMA implementation, facilitating groundwater banking , and diversifying long-term water supply portfolios.

What California water issues haven’t changed in the last 30 years?

JM : We’re still fighting! (Laughter.) Although that’s not entirely true anymore. There’s a growing, radical middle—the edges have the same arguments, but constructive engagement is happening in the middle.

BG : Salmon remain in peril, perhaps more so than ever before, despite all our regulatory, restoration, and planning efforts. We need to rethink our recovery and ecosystem management strategies because what we are doing is not working.

As PPIC embarks on its next 30 years, what’s next for the Water Policy Center?

Letitia Grenier : Californians need to be thinking about how we can become more resilient to climate change across all water sectors. It’s essential to take a look at the newest projections for future storms, heat, and drought that will deeply impact our water supply, flooding, forest headwaters, and freshwater ecosystems and figure out how much time is needed for planning. In cases where it’s going to take a lot of time to build new infrastructure, let’s look ahead and integrate climate change timelines with decisions and funding. Our goal at the PPIC Water Policy Center is to help sectors be ready as change happens. There may be uncertainty about how extreme the change will be, but we can still be ready.

EH : That makes me think about one challenge we’ve written about a lot: how to improve the process when it comes to implementing things. The permitting and regulatory process around restoration or any major infrastructure investments—it’s just too hard. Permitting should not take decades.

LG: We have ideas for how to improve permitting, with some proven successes. Programmatic permits across a large area , regulatory coordination, and watershed-scale planning can help. That’s what’s needed, but it’s hard to do.

BG : I also think there’s growing consensus on the need to adopt some form of real-time monitoring and reporting of water use . Without this, it will become increasingly difficult to enforce water rights priorities during droughts , protect transferred water from unlawful diversions, and ensure that water released for environmental uses remains instream to fulfill those purposes.

EH : When we were writing our 2011 book, Managing California’s Water , we were trying to get a sense of the total volume of surface water rights in the state, and we got a pie chart showing more than ten times the amount of all surface and groundwater actually used each year—that’s what the State Water Board had. There have definitely been improvements in both surface and groundwater use reporting since that time, but there are still important gaps. The data revolution still needs to happen.

JM : If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Final thoughts?

JM : I was so pleased with our myth-busting . “We need more dams!” “We’re running out of water!” “Water is being wasted to the sea!” We’d explain why these statements were wrong. Water myths generally start with a kernel of truth, but they morph into silver bullet solutions that ignore the nuances and trade-offs of water management. We’ve done a good job over the years of doing those things and Letitia, I hope you keep taking on public myths and busting them.

PPIC Turns 30

Priorities for California’s Water

California Water Myths

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Charting the course of digital art history: University of California San Diego Library from Artstor to JSTOR

All photos by Susan Sweatt.

In this blog post, we celebrate a significant milestone for the UC San Diego Library: two decades of providing unparalleled access to digital images through Artstor. From its inception, the Library’s collaboration with Artstor has been transformative, revolutionizing how faculty and students utilize visual resources to enhance teaching and research across various disciplines. As we mark this 20-year anniversary, we also anticipate a new chapter as our collection transitions to JSTOR. Join us as we explore the legacy and future of UC San Diego’s collection!

Building the collection, one scan at a time

In 2001, the UC San Diego Art and Architecture Library (AAL) staff discovered Artstor, a groundbreaking initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation and designed to support the academic community with a vast collection of high-quality, well-cataloged digital images for teaching and research. Intrigued by the project’s potential, UC San Diego offered its extensive slide collection of 220,000 images as a foundational asset. These slides, cataloged according to standards such as Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC), Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT), and Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), were ideally suited for the initiative.

In 2002, the Library secured a Mellon grant to support the selection, documentation, and digitization of images. In partnership with Luna Imaging, Inc. in Los Angeles, we began scanning buckets full of slides for inclusion in Artstor’s base collection. In 2005, after years of creative workarounds, hands-on labeling of slides, metadata enhancements and long hours, nearly 200,000 images and their associated metadata—including LCSH—were made available through Artstor. Debuting as the “Image Gallery” on Artstor, this contribution marked a significant advancement in digital image access for educational and research purposes, reflecting UC San Diego Library’s commitment to enhancing scholarly resources.

Years of growth and impact

The UC San Diego collection, initially launched as the “Image Gallery,” was integral to the Artstor platform and later became known as the “Artstor Slide Gallery.” With Artstor’s transition to JSTOR, it was rebranded as the “ Visual Arts Legacy Collection.” This resource has bolstered research and projects globally for the past two decades. UC San Diego librarians continue to receive inquiries about these images, underscoring their lasting impact. The collection is the most utilized on Artstor, both in terms of images accessed and added to image groups. In 2023, it saw 78% more usage than the next highest-used collection.

Given that the images were originally scanned to support prolific and influential artists and scholars working at UC San Diego, these metrics aren’t wholly surprising. Works by Babette Mangolte , Ricardo Dominguez , Manny Farber , Eleanor Antin, Susan Smith, Sheldon Brown, Allan Kaprow, Amy Adler, and more are available through the UC San Diego collection. Their research, collaboration with students, and the scholarship they created made for a unique and exciting mix that is reflected in this collection’s wide range of work types, disciplines, and artistic movements. From dance and photography to theater and landscape design, it is a broad, fascinating, and sometimes unlikely mix.

Challenges, innovations, and reflections

Despite its success, the project was not without challenges, particularly with image quality for a small percentage of files. It is important to note that these resources were valued as much for their metadata and subject headings as for the images themselves. The existence of these visual resources for research was the primary goal, even as LCSH subject headings have since evolved. This collection portrays a moment in time, even as we move towards more equitable and inclusive descriptions.

Many colleagues who were instrumental in preparing the images and metadata for Artstor have since retired. We recently connected with them to ask what they remember about the project and what they thought of the project’s impact on teaching, learning, and scholarship. While some recalled the hard work of organizing and digitizing the slides, others reflected on the joy of holding a slide up to the light and realizing how incredible it would be to have these physical slides available online. Over the years, many other libraries, faced with scanning their own slide collections, have reached out for support and guidance, inspired by our success.

Greg Reser, from the Arts and Architecture Library, shared: “I remember the complicated mix of analog and digital solutions we came up with to make the project work. We tracked the packing, shipping, and return of the slides with a combination of barcodes, colored markers and stickers, spreadsheets, and MARC records. The required metadata enhancements turned me into an Excel and MarcEdit enthusiast and did more to advance my technical skills to a level that surprised me. When the dust settled and I saw our images on the Artstor platform, I had a sense of what we achieved, and it remains one of my proudest accomplishments.”

Transition to JSTOR and looking ahead

Since those early days, the Visual Arts Legacy Collection has continued to serve as a broad and deep online resource for teaching and research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. With the upcoming sunset of the original Artstor website on August 1, 2024, and the move of its content, key resources, and functionality to JSTOR, we are excited about reaching a broader audience and fostering more scholarly connections. As one of the original Artstor contributors, we celebrate the profound impact this resource has had on UC San Diego and beyond and look forward to its continued success on JSTOR. 

About the authors

Laura Schwartz is the Program Director for Content Acquisition & Resource Sharing at UC San Diego Library. She previously served as the Arts & Humanities Collection Strategist/Visual Arts Library at UC San Diego and the Head Librarian of the Fine Arts Library at The University of Texas at Austin.

Lia Friedman is the Librarian for Visual Arts, Architecture and Film Studies, Communications and Critical Gender Studies at UC San Diego. Prior to that she was Instruction and Outreach Librarian at the UC San Diego Art and Architecture Library (AAL), Head of Public Services at AAL, and the Program Director of Learning Services.

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New climate and sustainability research efforts will focus on eight ‘Solution Areas’

The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability will establish new research initiatives under topics including climate, water, energy, food, nature, and cities.

The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability has selected eight interconnected Solution Areas to focus its research efforts over the next decade. This new research plan amplifies the school’s ability to translate Stanford research into large-scale solutions and inform key decision makers in policy and business.

Selected based on extensive faculty input and assessment of where Stanford can make the most meaningful impact, the eight areas are: climate; water; energy; food; risk, resilience, and adaptation; nature; cities; and platforms and tools for monitoring and decision making. 

“Solution Areas identify and leverage the critical junctions between the most pressing global sustainability challenges and the areas where Stanford has the talent and expertise to find solutions,” said Dean Arun Majumdar. “This collaborative all-campus approach expands and strengthens our commitment to using all the power we have – the knowledge, the education, the talent, the innovation, the resources, the influence – to build a thriving planet for future generations.” 

‘Integrative Projects’ and ‘Flagship Destinations’

In each Solution Area, the school plans to build two types of research initiatives. One type, called Integrative Projects, will be managed by the school’s institutes, including the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment , the Precourt Institute for Energy , and a planned Sustainable Societies Institute. 

Integrative Projects will be organized around decade-long research themes and dedicated to creating solutions through interdisciplinary collaboration, engagement with partners beyond Stanford, identifying significant knowledge gaps, and understanding systems.

According to Chris Field , the Perry L. McCarty Director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and a professor in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the School of Humanities and Sciences , the new commitment to these areas “will provide both resources and coordination that expand Stanford faculty’s capacity to deliver sustainability solutions at scale.” 

A second type of research initiative, called Flagship Destinations, is managed by Stanford’s Sustainability Accelerator . Flagship Destinations are targets for the pace and scale of work to address challenges facing Earth, climate, and society. For example, the school’s first Flagship Destination, announced in 2023 , calls for enabling the removal of billions of tons of planet-warming gases annually from Earth’s atmosphere by the middle of this century. By working backward from sustainability targets in consultation with faculty and external experts, this initiative seeks to rapidly translate Stanford research into policy and technology solutions. Additional Flagship Destinations will be announced later this week.

Whereas Integrative Projects are designed to produce knowledge and evidence that can eventually lead to solutions, Flagship Destination projects are intended to help verify and demonstrate that well-studied solutions can succeed at large scale so they can be launched out of Stanford and implemented for the benefit of humanity and our planet. Scalable solutions nurtured and launched through these projects could take the form of policy frameworks, open-source platforms, nonprofit organizations, new for-profit companies, and ongoing collaborations all committed to addressing pressing sustainability challenges.

“By working together in these Solution Areas across disciplines and with collaborators beyond the university, we maximize our ability to have positive impacts on the timeframe and scale needed for the planet and humanity,” said Scott Fendorf , senior associate dean for integrative initiatives and the Terry Huffington Professor in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. 

Workshops will be held with faculty and external experts to develop research strategies for each Solution Area on a rolling basis. Strategy workshops, opportunities to provide input on future Integrative Projects, and requests for proposals (open to all Stanford faculty) will be announced in the coming months.

Related message from leadership: Read a letter to faculty about the new Solution Areas from Dean Majumdar with Precourt Institute for Energy director William Chueh; Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment director Chris Field; Accelerator faculty director Yi Cui and executive director Charlotte Pera; and Integrative Initiatives associate dean Jenna Davis and senior associate dean Scott Fendorf.

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Stanford’s Sustainability Accelerator adds new targets

The Sustainability Accelerator in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability will support work in new areas including energy, climate adaptation, industry, and more.

Solution Areas and research funding

A message from school leadership announcing solutions-oriented and scale-focused research funding opportunities to address pressing sustainability challenges.

Forecasting climate’s impact on a debilitating disease

In Brazil, climate and other human-made environmental changes threaten efforts to fight schistosomiasis, a widespread and debilitating parasitic disease. Stanford and Brazilian researchers have now developed models that can predict how disease risk will shift in response to environmental changes.

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Substance Use and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders

What does it mean to have substance use and co-occurring mental disorders.

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Symptoms can be moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form of SUD.

People with a SUD may also have other mental health disorders, and people with mental health disorders may also struggle with substance use. These other mental health disorders can include anxiety disorders , depression , attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , bipolar disorder , personality disorders , and schizophrenia , among others. For more information, please see the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)  Common Comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders Research Report  .

Though people might have both a SUD and a mental disorder, that does not mean that one caused the other. Research suggests three possibilities that could explain why SUDs and other mental disorders may occur together:

• Common risk factors can contribute to both SUDs and other mental disorders. Both SUDs and other mental disorders can run in families, meaning certain genes may be a risk factor. Environmental factors, such as stress or trauma, can cause genetic changes that are passed down through generations and may contribute to the development of a mental disorder or a substance use disorder.
• Mental disorders can contribute to substance use and SUDs. Studies found that people with a mental disorder, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , may use drugs or alcohol as a form of self-medication. However, although some drugs may temporarily help with some symptoms of mental disorders, they may make the symptoms worse over time. Additionally, brain changes in people with mental disorders may enhance the rewarding effects of substances, making it more likely they will continue to use the substance.
• Substance use and SUDs can contribute to the development of other mental disorders. Substance use may trigger changes in brain structure and function that make a person more likely to develop a mental disorder.

How are substance use disorder and co-occurring mental disorders diagnosed and treated?

When someone has a SUD and another mental health disorder, it is usually better to treat them at the same time rather than separately. People who need help for a SUD and other mental disorders should see a health care provider for each disorder. It can be challenging to make an accurate diagnosis because some symptoms are the same for both disorders, so the provider should use comprehensive assessment tools to reduce the chance of a missed diagnosis and provide the right treatment.

It also is essential that the provider tailor treatment, which may include behavioral therapies and medications, to an individual’s specific combination of disorders and symptoms. It should also take into account the person’s age, the misused substance, and the specific mental disorder(s). Talk to your health care provider to determine what treatment may be best for you and give the treatment time to work.

Behavioral therapies

Research has found several behavioral therapies that have promise for treating individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. Health care providers may recommend behavioral therapies alone or in combination with medications.

Some examples of effective behavioral therapies for adults with SUDs and different co-occurring mental disorders include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy  aimed at helping people learn how to cope with difficult situations by challenging irrational thoughts and changing behaviors.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) uses concepts of mindfulness and acceptance or being aware of and attentive to the current situation and emotional state. DBT also teaches skills that can help control intense emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviors (such as suicide attempts, thoughts, or urges; self-harm; and drug use), and improve relationships.
• Assertive community treatment (ACT) is a form of community-based mental health care that emphasizes outreach to the community and an individualized treatment approach.
• Therapeutic communities (TC)    are a common form of long-term residential treatment that focuses on helping people develop new and healthier values, attitudes, and behaviors.
• Contingency management (CM) principles encourage healthy behaviors by offering vouchers or rewards for desired behaviors.

Behavioral therapies for children and adolescents

Some effective behavioral treatments for children and adolescents include:

• Brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) therapy targets family interactions thought to maintain or worsen adolescent SUDs and other co-occurring problem behaviors.
• Multidimensional family therapy (MDFT) works with the whole family to simultaneously address multiple and interacting adolescent problem behaviors, such as substance use, mental disorders, school problems, delinquency, and others.
• Multisystemic therapy (MST) targets key factors associated with serious antisocial behavior in children and adolescents with SUDs.

Medications

There are effective medications that treat opioid  , alcohol  , and nicotine addiction  and lessen the symptoms of many other mental disorders. Some medications may be useful in treating multiple disorders. For more information on behavioral treatments and medications for SUDs, visit NIDA’s Drug Facts  and Treatment  webpages. For more information about treatment for mental disorders, visit NIMH's Health Topics webpages.

How can I find help for substance use and co-occurring mental disorders?

To find mental health treatment services in your area, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357), visit the SAMHSA online treatment locator  , or text your ZIP code to 435748.

For additional resources about finding help, visit:

NIMH's Help for Mental Illnesses page

National Cancer Institute’s Smokefree.gov  website, or call their smoking quitline at 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848)

If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org   . In life-threatening situations, call 911.

How can I find a clinical trial for substance use and co-occurring mental disorders?

Clinical trials are research studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions. The goal of clinical trials is to determine if a new test or treatment works and is safe. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the future.

Researchers at NIMH and around the country conduct many studies with patients and healthy volunteers. We have new and better treatment options today because of what clinical trials uncovered years ago. Be part of tomorrow’s medical breakthroughs. Talk to your health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you.

To learn more or find a study, visit:

• NIMH’s Clinical Trials webpage : Information about participating in clinical trials related to mental disorders
• Clinicaltrials.gov: Current studies on mental illness and substance misuse  : List of clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) being conducted across the country

Where can I learn more about substance use and co-occurring disorders?

Brochures and other educational resources.

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Publications Order Form 
• NIDA: Parents and Educators 
• SAMHSA Publications and Digital Products 
• Alcohol Use Disorder  (also en español  )
• Drug Use and Addiction  (also en español  )
• Mental Health and Behavior  (also en español  )
• Opioids and Opioid Use Disorder   (also en español  )
• Risks of tobacco   (also en  español  )
• NIH Experts Discuss the Intersection of Suicide and Substance Use : Learn about common risk factors, populations at elevated risk, suicides by drug overdose, treatments, prevention, and resources for finding help.
• NIDA Common Physical and Mental Health Comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders Research Report 
• NIDA Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes Research Report 
• SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health 
• Suicide Deaths Are a Major Component of the Opioid Crisis that Must Be Addressed
• NIMH and the NIH HEAL Initiative: Collaborating to address the opioid epidemic
• NIMH’s Role in the NIH HEAL Initiative

Last reviewed: March 2024

Unless otherwise specified, the information on our website and in our publications is in the public domain and may be reused or copied without permission. However, you may not reuse or copy images. Please cite the National Institute of Mental Health as the source. Read our copyright policy to learn more about our guidelines for reusing NIMH content.

Cori Bush becomes second 'Squad' member to lose 2024 primary as Democrats split over Israel

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., suffered a bruising defeat in her St. Louis district on Tuesday night, becoming the second member of the progressive group of House lawmakers known as “the Squad” to lose a Democratic primary to a more moderate opponent this year.

Bush, a second-term lawmaker, was bested in the Democratic race for Missouri’s 1 st District by St. Louis prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell, who was backed by a major pro-Israel group. The race was the second - most expensive House primary in U.S. history, taking a back seat only to the contest earlier this year for Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s Bronx-area seat, according to the group AdImpact. 

Bell sought to frame Bush as out of touch with her constituents throughout the monthslong race and highlighted the multiple investigations into her campaign finances. But Bush’s criticism of the Israeli government, more than any other factor, came to define the campaign.  

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A registered nurse and activist, Bush was the first member of Congress to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, nine days after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Since then, she has remained a steadfast critic of Israel’s handling of the war and has accused Israeli officials of committing genocide.

The United Democracy Project, a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, poured more than $8 million into the contest to boost Bell’s campaign to replace Bush in the halls of Congress. Justice Democrats , a PAC that has opposed U.S. aid to Israel, meanwhile, said it spent more than $2 million in support of Bush. 

The St. Louis primary isn’t the first race in which AIPAC has played a role in 2024. The group has put its weight behind an array of candidates challenging some of the most vocal Democratic lawmakers criticizing Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza.  

In July, Bowman, Bush’s fellow Squad member, lost the Democratic primary in his district to a more moderate candidate whose campaign was aided by outside funding. The United Democracy Project spent more than $7 million in that race.

Bowman , in a fundraising call Monday night, told Bush that he knew exactly what she was experiencing and said she was a "powerful truth teller. "

Several other members of the Squad – the group of progressive lawmakers who came to prominence during former President Donald Trump's term – have managed to fend off similar challenges this year. Among them: Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. 

Others in the group still have a difficult race ahead this year. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., faces a tough primary challenge from former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels next week.