California has a diverse landscape and climate due to its formation between shifting tectonic plates. It was home to many native tribes before European colonization. The economy grew to include agriculture, industry, entertainment, tourism, and services. Labor unions organized workers in the late 19th century to demand better treatment and wages. Strikes were common during times of economic hardship, such as the Great Depression. The 20th century saw California emerge as a cultural center, particularly in film, art, literature, music, and architecture. Industries in entertainment and technology continue to drive California's prominent place in American culture and innovation.
2. Chapter 1. Queen Calafia’s Island: Place and First People Esplandiá- Son of Amadias of Gaul, siege of Constantinople Some of Esplandiá’s allies were Califronians- black Amazons Californians authority figure- Queen Calafia California thought to be an island west of the Indies Calafia sailed to Constantinople to help with the siege of Constantinople Edward Everett Hale- a Boston antiquarian (1863) who figured “Califia” was the name behind “California” 1533- Hernán Cortés landed on what thought to be an island in the Pacific 1539- realized their mistake, and called Antigua (Old California)
3. Chapter 1. Queen Calafia’s Island: Place and First People California is to be said the result to action between the North American and Pacific tectonic plates The land piece was detached from southern Baja California and floated up north Four intervals: Bay of San Diego, Monterey bay, San Francisco bay, Humboldt Bay formed 30,000 years ago from the collapse of mountains 41 mountains- Mount Whitney at the highest California has dramatic landscape because of how it formed and the plates involved Fault lines- San Andreas, Hayward, Garlock, San Jacinto, Nacimiento keeps California active California ranges from cold weather (mountains) to unbearably hot weather (valleys) Seasons: wet and dry
4. Chapter 1. Queen Calafia’s Island: Place and First People Humans were able to settle where the current from the northwestern Pacific comes along with areas of high-pressure Known as “island on the land” because of its borders consisting of mountains, deserts, and canyons One third of all native Americans in the United States lived in California California was very diverse with tribes and languages and no hierarchies Diversity created myths, totems, taboos, rituals Faced extinction with the new colonists
5. Chapter 8. Making it Happen: Labor Through the Great Depression and Beyond Diverse California economy: agriculture, industrial, entertainment, tourist, service The Depression came early 1930s Jobs requiring the use of ones hands was popular and paid well 1859- first two labor Unions: Union Iron Works of San Francisco, Trade Union Council 1860s in San Francisco- demand for organized labor and 8-hour days 1870s- nationwide depression, hurt San Francisco Chinese came in June 1867 and became a threat for unemployed in the 1870s depression Labor started up North with wheat ranches during harvest time Hugh James Glenn- Wheat king, 55 thousand acres in Colusa County, harvesting half a million bushels of wheat California agriculture- boomed with the help of irrigation and refrigerated railroad cars
6. Chapter 8. Making it Happen: Labor Through the Great Depression and Beyond 1881- San Francisco Trades Assembly June 1884- Brunette Haskell, Internation Workingmen’s Association Bombing in Haymarket Square, Chicago, May 4, 1886 during an 8-hour workday rally, eight anarchist leaders were convicted with no evidence Andrew Furuseth- joined the Coast Seamen’s Union June 1885- combined it with the Steamship Sailors Union to created the Sailors Union of the Pacific President Woodrow Wilson signed the Seamen’s Act in 1915 Alfred Fuhrman- created the Brewers and Malsters Union of the Pacific Coast members could then receive $17 for a six day week and allowed to live away from their place of work 1887 (didn’t receive it until 1900) 1893- depression struck the nation Strikes led by the Teamsters Union in 1901- “General Strike” Union Labor Party of San Francisco put out the next two mayors: Eugene Schmitz and Patrick Henry McCarthy, and then led to James Rolph Jr. as mayor October 1, 1910- Los Angeles Times office was bombed by OrtieMcManigal, James McNamara, and John McNamara
7. Chapter 8. Making it Happen: Labor Through the Great Depression and Beyond 1912- dock strike in San Diego by Industrial Workers of the Worldwobblies Many protests, strikes, and bombing followed Criminal Syndicalism Act 1919- organization advocating was seen as a felony During the Great Depression, agricultural workers came from the mid-west to seek employment, dropping wages significantly CAWIU strikes in 1933 (largest was cotton pickers of San Joaquin Valley, became violent and known as the Sacramento Conspiracy Trial) July 5, 1934- “Bloody Thursday”: San Francisco waterfront strike Culbert Olson was elected for governor (1937) and freed Tom Mooney who was wrongly accused for the 1916 Preparedness Day bombing Union Farm Workers led the huelga strike by César Chávez- boycott of table grapes grown in California
8. Chapter 11. An Imagined Place: Art and Life on the Coast of Dreams 20th century brought film (mostly Southern California), radio, television Painting became a form of expression and had many styles at the end of the century Photography and architecture also improved West Coast jazz emerged through California composers In the Sultan’s Power (1908) was first complete film filmed in LA Directors started to come to California because of the good weather and cultural areas Cecil Blount DeMille became the “it” director of Hollywood after filming The Squaw Man Hollywood was soon recognized as where the film industry was United Artists studio (1919) was founded by David Wark Griffith (director), Mary Pickford (actress), Douglas Fairbanks (Mary’s husband), and Charlie Chaplin (comedian) Film Studios 1920-1930s: Universal (1915), Fine Arts, Fox, Famous Players, Metro, Columbia (1922), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1924), RKO (1928), Warner Bros. (1929), Twentieth Century-Fox (1935), Paramount (1935)
9. Chapter 11. An Imagined Place: Art and Life on the Coast of Dreams Sound was introduced in 1929 1930s- émigrés internationalized the film industry Great writers emerged in 1930s, including: Robinson Jeffers, John Steinbeck, William Saroyan, F. Scott Fitzgerald James M. Cain, Horace McCoy, William Faulkner Some people were disappointed with Los Angeles such as writer Raymond Chandler, William Saroyan, and Joan Didion 1950s- The Beats movement: started with post-WWII writers, brought on sex, rebellion, and drugs Poetic manifesto of the Beats- Allen Ginsberg’s Howl Famous poets of California- William Everson and Gary Snyder Painters were occupied with painting landscapes until “Society of Six” 1920s postimpressionism, bursts of vivid color The Depression brought Social Realism Mexican muralists: José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Alfredo Ramos Martínez, and Diego Rivera WWII brought abstract modernism, painters included: Clyfford Still, Ronald Bladen, DewardCobett, and Richard Diebenkorn
10. Chapter 11. An Imagined Place: Art and Life on the Coast of Dreams “Group f/64” led by Edward Weston and Ansel Adams, campaign to reinstate photography Dorothea Lange- shot the photograph Migrant Mother Architecture- inspired by Arts and Crafts, shingle style Architects included: Bernard Maybeck, Charles Sumner Greene, Henry Mather Greene Modernism emerged pre-WWI Theater and music also surfaced 1923- GaetanoMerola established the opera company in San Francisco Music in movies created employment especially for Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg Musicians tried to blend pop and modernism together Outdoor activities also characterized California: boxing, swimming, tennis, baseball, football, track and field 1860- Olympic club founded by German immigrants 1907- surfing brought to California by George Freeth, became the icon of California lifestyle 1859- baseball introduced