History Essay Q's

From indigenous California to the State of California, people with diverse cultures, religions, and legal systems shared (in varying degrees of peacefulness) this space. Drawing from three examples that span pre-1769 to poststatehood, frame early California history in response to these questions.
1. Is early California history the story of triumph/domination by those with greater power and devastation over those with lesser power?
  1. Example 1: Mission system
    1. Spanish power dominated the Indigenous population
      1. enforcing of Catholicism
      2. forced labor in mission systems designed to order the Ind.
      3. dampened traditional culture, implemented strict political systems, shifted gender roles (i.e. Wappo)
      4. mission systems >> violance, taking control of land,
        ability to control rights despite emancipation and secularization
  2. Example 2: Judicial power = dominant force over immigrants
    1. despite CA const. , slavery still found legal
      1. i.e. kidnapped children viewed as "family members"
      2. women sex slaves as wives
    2. 14th ammendment not protecting immigrants despite looking inclusive
2. Is early California history the story of how these waves of interactions created hybrid cultures, religions, and legal systems? OVERALL ARGUMENT: With interactions, CA faced extreme difficulty in indentifying itself and constructing its identity.
  1. Example 1: missions and Catholicism >> hybrid of religions
    1. Chumash
      1. told Catholic narratives through Chumash perspective
        i.e. representation/painting of Archangel Raphael
      2. able to keep dance rituals and traditions despite the prevalance of Catholcism
  2. Example 2: Redrressing of Chumash >> hybrid of culture
    1. dressing based on social status
      1. Enuropean dress for those of higher status
  3. Example 3: Legal systems shaped by immigration/interactions between culturally/etnically/racially diverse people
    1. Gold Rush era
      1. immigration of Chinese to mines
        Foreign Miners Tax
    2. Anti-Chinese sentiment
      1. fear that Chinese would take opportunity from white men
      2. belief of all Chinese men as coolies and women as prostitutes
      3. Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Historians of California use particular methods and theories to create narratives and arguments that add to or even challenge the work of those before them. Sometimes, they are very clear both about the method/theory they rely on and how they frame their historiographic contributions.
1. Drawing on three examples from the readings or lecture, describe and evaluate the use of theory and method in California history through the time period covered by the midterm.
  1. Heidenreich
    1. understanding the mission system from a singular tribe of Ind. where she personally lives
      1. deeply understand how political/legal structure changed with mission systems
      2. contrasting her religion to Wappo Kukso religion
  2. Smith
    1. the darkness of the gold rush, different narrative from the glamorization of CA being a place of freedom and opportunity
      1. gold rush
        slavery, traficking, murder, violence
        racism, exlcusion
        lack of equal opportunity
        Foreign Miners Tax
        immigration restrictions
        everything in favor of making the white man rich
      2. Reconstruction of CA not as a place of equal opportunity, but limited to white men
        Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
        Page Act
        restriction of rights despite outline of constitution
  3. Haas
    1. focuses on Chumash culture to understand shifts and effects of the mission system on society as a whole. detailed and comprehensive analysis
      1. Chumash painting of Archangel Raphael
      2. redressing
      3. how culture persisted despite violence
        Chumash still believed in supernatural forces, had different account of violenece
      4. despite secularization and emancipation, many Chumash chose to stay in missions
        choosing to stay meant staying w families = culture

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History Essay Q's

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	Created by Chelsea Spinos over 7 years ago