Lecture of 10/11

California Grows Up, Part 2

[Note: Ask a student to share the links for the replacement readings on Chinese Exclusion and Law and Race in California.]

What happens after the Gold Rush?

It ends, and people from all over the world are here! Very, very diverse. Chinese laborers especially building the railroads, the Sacramento levees.

Washington badly wants to bind Cali into the union; hence funding for railroads.

Central Valley is now becoming the world's breadbasket: wheat is the main crop, because flour can be shipped all over the world.

California attracts its share of monomaniacs: e.g. Theodore Judah, a surveyor, who is obsessed with building a railroad through the Sierras. Goes to SF millionaires: Lick says no. Sacramento says yes! Stanford, Huntington, Hopkins, and Crocker. Corrupt businessmen.

Crocker (the engineer) needs labor, which is scarce and expensive. So he imports from South China. Coolies, i.e. indentured servants, who must earn enough to pay their way home.  "Crocker's Monkeys," say the editorial cartoonists.

Incredibly dangerous work (black powder blasting); nobody knows how many died. Great time pressure to meet the Union Pacific, in Promontory, Utah, in 1869,

SF in the 1860s may have more newspapers than anywhere else in the world. Notable: the Overland Monthly. Henry George (!) writes the first article: What the Railroad Will Bring Us.  (Prosperity, he hopes.) But most of the profit goes to the Big Four. Who build enormous, hideous mansions on Nob Hill; when a neighbor won't sell, Crocker builds the "Spite Fence" to block his light and view.

The Big Four are plutocrats, with all the problems that implies.

To win a bet, Stanford finances the first time-photography study of a horse galloping; leads to motion pictures, perhaps. So some benefits to this wealth. But mostly not: extreme concentration, which leads to excess at the top, and not enough in the middle and the bottom.

!n 1879, George's opinion had changed, and he wrote Progress and Poverty, recommending a single tax on land, as a way of breaking up the concentration of wealth. The problems of Cali are the world's problems, he claimed.  This very accurate analysis is still having trouble gaining traction: but modern economists like Michael Hudson have built upon George's work.

Early stirrings of "nature shows God's grandeur" philosophy: Thomas Starr King gives that sermon in 1860, partly out of worry that Americans are losing their religion: he thinks that Romantic nature philosophy misses something essential about religion: "there are no Yosemites in the soul."  But people misinterpret the message, and move towards a vague pantheism.

Cali inspires Ambrose Bierce to compose the Devil's Dictionary. Stealin Lanford, Callous Huntington, etc. Greed, corruption, everywhere.  Heads to Mexico in 1911 to get away, vanishes. It's dirty out there!

Rail trusts exert monopoly power and charge monopoly prices. Lots of editorial cartoons--in the Wasp.  The Railroad Octopus! Has all Cali in its tentacles.

In Postwar depression, Chinese are scapegoated; anti-Chinese sentiment grows rapidly.

Notes 9/27

Hi all! Here are the notes for Thurs 9/27. Lecture was all over the place, so I just decided to provide a list of bullet points that reflect the most important talking points.

What is the Donner party? Group of 87 pioneers who set off in 1846 from Missouri to California. Instead of taking the usual route, however, they decided to take the Hastings Cutoff, which sent them across northern Utah (Wasatch Mountains and Great Lake Lake Desert).

So did it work? Did it get them to California fast? Nope. Trip was a disaster. The pioneers lost wagons and horses, and kept having to clear the path in front of them. This created tensions between the pioneers and as you can imagine, kept slowing them down.

Pioneers didn't reach California until early November, yet their goal was end of September. This put them in the Sierra Nevadas, thus creating a "wrong place, wrong time" scenerio. They found themselves caught in a blizzard and had to seek shelter in some cabins by what was then known as Truckee Lake.

Food ran out and the snow kept building, so 15 of the pioneers set off on foot. Only 7 made it to their destination.

What did the 7 pioneers do to survive? They fed off the remains of the 8 prioneers who died along the way.

Why didn't anyone go looking for the pioneers? The Mexican American War slowed down rescue efforts.

Some class discussion ensued. Did they really need to eat their companions? Was it worth it? Was it as simple as "They died of exposure and we wanted to survive?" or was it a question of murder? Some silly comments and questions ping-ponged back and forth (I'm figuring we don't need to go into that.)

TRANSITION to "The Oregon Question" or Oregon Dispute

There was a period of dispute between American and British claims to land in and around the Oregon area in the first half of the 19th century (Donner party era). This part was a little fuzzy for me, but I think Prof. Block mentioned that a Treaty between the U.S. and the Brits was signed, which stipulated that both nations could claim this land simultaneously.

This land dispute birthed the catchphrase "Manifest Destiny!" which referred to the U.S.'s destiny to keep expanding westward.

TRANSITION to Thomas Hart Benton - know this guy! He was a Missouri Senator who advocated for westward expansion. He adopted a "if the ends justify the means" philosophy re: westward expansion - kill whoever gets in the way of our effort to settle the West. He was one of the authors of the Homestead Act.

TRANSITION to John C. Fremont - know this guy, too! He was an American explorer and officer who eventually ran for President as a member of the anti-slavery Republican party. With Manifest Destiny in mind, know that in the winter of 1849 he led a group of people across the West in search of a potential rail route. He thought rail would be key in developing our westward territories.

Foreigners in California (Tuesday 9/25)

Russians arrive ca. 1725; send foreign naval officers (better trained) like Kotzebue (German) and Bering (Danish). Russians want to catch up with Europe as an imperial power, using Siberia as a stepping stone.  More fur trade, especially w/ China.  Spaniards fear the Russian-America Company for their skills and numbers. Greatest hunters and trappers in the world, hunting sea otters (best pelts) and seals.

Gov. Baranov 1799: the Russian America company is chartered, headquarters in New Archangel (Sitka), which is also the capital of RA.  Very tough conditions: too far north, can't grow crops. Scurvy! Again!

Count Rezanov goes south to found a farming colony.  Arrives at the San Francisco Bay, greeted by Spaniards, friendly.  Love affair!   But he never returns--dies in Siberia heading back to report.   Dona Arguelo becomes a nun; Bret Harte will memorialize the romance in a famous poem.

Russians found a settlement in 1812 at Fort Ross (i.e. Russ) and name the Russian River. Planned as an expanding farming colony.  Sickness strikes, as usual. Spanish, later Mexicans, begin to worry: our land!  Russians, discouraged, sell Fort Ross in 1839; and in 1862, they sell the rest of Russian America—Alaska--to Seward for his Folly. 

American hide traders ply the coast starting 1830s...no problem.  But mountain men come overland and start to settle.  John Sutter arrives in 1838: Swiss! Asks Mexican Governor for land (1/3 of the valley!) at fork of Sacramento River to build fort: keep out Russians, British, pacify Indians: A true con man: says he's a Captain in the Royal Swiss Navy! Builds the fort. Takes the land grant, but doesn't do anything else.  This spot becomes Sacramento. Exploits (i.e. enslaves!) local Indians.

Sutter's Fort becomes the endpoint of the overland trails into Cali. People like Cali, b/c Oregon is too far north, plus who owns it?  GB and US dispute the territory.  After Mexican war, migration increases; Mexican state is famously weak, so Americans are grabbing their opportunity.  Americans prefer to farm: more economical than ranching. Mexicans are gulled, believing Americans will be tractable residents.

Richard Henry Dana in Cali from 1834-36. Not your typical hide trader: son of a Harvard attorney, but bad eyes. Decides to ship to Cali to fix his eyesight. Keeps a journal--loses it!  Reconstructs it as Two Years Before the Mast. Incredible bestseller!  (Those were the days...)

This spreads the idea of California, especially since he criticizes everyone there except the Americans: gives the impression of a marvelous land just waiting to be repopulated.  Diagnoses the Cali disease: laziness in the second generation.  (Must be the climate…)

Thomas Oliver Larkin, transplanted Boston merchant, appoints himself Trade Consul. Reports back to State Dept. from Monterey. Bilingual, does well in trade, but also relays intelligence. Given a mission: persuade the Californios to secede from Mexico--and perhaps annex themselves to US. Receptive audience, because Mexican tariffs are high, without much protection or involvement in exchange.

In 1842, Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones, commander of American Pacific squadron (5 ships!) fears war with Mexico, hears rumors of Mexico selling Alta Cali to Britain because of enormous debts. Sees a French invasion force!  (It’s actually bound for Tahiti.)

Upshot: Jones decides to capture Monterey, to "head off the British." Right of prior capture will obtain.  He does! Capture a small presidio with a few soldiers. Larkin tells him there's no war, so Jones takes down his flag.  However, this becomes an international incident, re reparations. (Jones is recalled, but not disciplined, and no reparations are paid, because Daniel Webster refuses.) The idea of a war for this territory has now been broached, however farcically, and the Spanish are now on the alert...

9/20 History Notes

HIstory 240

9/20/2012

Spanish-- three major institutions: Mission (church), Presidos (forts), Pueblos (citizens/retired military)

1820's after Mexican independence- practically, people in CA aren't sure they want independence/want to stop being a Spaniard

Spanish supply everything that isn't being grown in CA

Californians fear you have less control when government is close

Ca most people are either active military, related to active military, former military so obvious ties to Spain

CAs are obsessed with identity, obsessed with the idea of being Spaniards, obsessed with being Californios (want to create clear distinction from NAs, consider themselves "gente de razon")

BUT some think that Spain has abandoned them, so maybe the Mexican central state will do more for them

Ranchos-- the new institution that Mexican California introduces to itself- ride horses everywhere (this distinguishes them from Indians who eat horses-- riding a horse implies ability to reason)

Secularization (1834)- the missions were sitting on all the good land in California so they secularize the missions-- the mission churches will still be churches but will be simple parish churches, this frees up a lot of land to be turned into more ranches-- some of this land is supposed to be reserved for the Mission Indians, but most of it ends up in the hands of the ranchos

Matanza- The slaughter: once a year ranchos round up the cattle and kill them all at once

Californios turn this into a party In Mexico, 

if you're a Mexican citizen, you have equal rights, this works well for Californios, but not Indians-- by law they have the same rights, but in California, they don't

Diseno- land grant map

** You may notes that the accents are missing on the Spanish words. I drafted this on my Ipad, and I haven't figured out how to add accents. Sorry!

9/13

hist 240

Spanish California

Spain calls the Pacific "the south sea." Vasco Nunez de Balboa, 1514, "discovers" the Pacific. Trying to get to India. Spice trade, etc.

Other explorers: Cores; Ulloa; Cabrillo;Villalobos;Legazpi; Rodrigues. These have dates from 1523-1565. Quest for gold--people relay informants' stories to impress their bosses; California becomes a name to conjure with.

They hope to connect Spain to Philippines more directly; opportunities for trade with China: spices, silk. Approached "New Spain" from both directions eventually.  Led to creation of Manilla Galleon, largest ships in world at that time. Sailing west from Acapulco, a two month voyage to Philippines--less sickness.  Sailing east, 6-7 months, if lucky!  Once a year each way.  Many deaths on eastbound: scurvy. 

Factoid: 10% of college students in US have scurvy! MB gives very vivid account of scurvy symptoms, w/ gross slide of scurvy man from the rear (we look at a pic of a man's butt for 15 minutes!): bleeding gums, puffy extremities, lethargy, lesions. A mystery until 1760: Scottish Dr. Lynn solves it, with citrus fruits. Takes a while for that solution to catch on--mid 19th c.

Francis Drake on 1577 mission for Q Elizabeth: catch up with Spain. Economies based on gold: colonies the source of wealth. (Spanish keep maps secret.) Privateers set out to rob Spain, but it's OK, b/c they're infidel Catholics.  Drake 2nd to circumnavigate after Magellan, on Pellican, renamed the Golden Hinde.  Raids Lima. Captures a treasure galleon.

Drake gets to the Northern Fogs, n of San Fran bay, which he misses--realizes fog is b/c of mountains, thus no Northwest Passage.  Heads back, stops at Nova Albion, claims it for Elizabeth and for God. (MB reads excerpt from Drake's account.)  Refits ship, possibly on Channel Islands. Indians offer him "taba", a mystery herb.

Meantime, Spanish are chasing "Drago"--but fail, and he returns to England a hero. The speed of his return is taken as proof of a Northwest Passage!  Followed (1587) by Thomas Cavendish, first of many South Sea Pirates: burning, sacking, raping, and pillaging.

Spain begins new round of Pacific exploration: 1595, Cermeno; 1601, Vizcaino, who wants to find a place to build a fortress to keep out the English. Finds and names Monterey: best possible port, he writes. "Many souls to save!  Monterey could hold every ship in our navy."  He exaggerates.  But Jesuits begin to come to Baja then; Spanish don't move north until Jesuit expulsion of 1767, which calls them back to Spain, but sends Franciscans into Alta California. Led by Franciscan Father Junipero Serra, Spain sets out to missionize CA.

Hist 240 lecture, Tuesday, 9/4

Began with the framing question, Where did Californians come from? A lecture on California's prehistory and its survivals into the present (namely its Native American population).

Geologists, archaeologists, and anthropologists generally agree that humans came to the Americas across the Bering land bridge (and possibly by canoe in some cases) some 10-12,000 years ago, probably pursuing animals for hunting.  Term: "Paleoindians" refers to these original nomadic people.

The animals were different: slides of La Brea tar pits, showing giant sloths and saber-toothed cats.

Native Americans tell a different story: each group has a myth that explains how they have lived in California since the Creation.  That feature, where every member of a group can tell the story of his group's claim to its region, is actually unusual in Native American ethnography: here too, Californians seem to think of themselves as "special."

[Note: that might be something to work with in an assignment analyzing diverse narratives.]

California is also one of the three most diverse language regions in the world: hundreds, possibly thousands of distinct Native American dialects.  Anthropologist Alfred C. Kroeber, student of Boas, mapped the groups (not really tribes: "tribelets") by language, and made a map of California divided into language regions.  Actually follows present state boundaries quite closely. Tribes were locally nomadic, moving within regions according to hunting and harvesting seasons.  One staple: acorns, which need intensive processing to remove poisons.  (Exception: the Chumash, who stayed in one area and were very hierarchical--others weren't.)

We heard a couple of creation stories: familiar sort of story, personified nature beings making the world in their interactions.  Accompanying rituals to act them out, ritual dress.

Lecture finished with cautionary tale for scholars: the story of obsessive collector of languages John P. Harrington, who collected them all for the Smithsonian, didn't catalogue properly, kept it all in his apartment, and bequeathed that mess to the museum when he died.  Result: much has been lost, or needs a reconstruction that no one can afford.  However, despite predictions of their extinction in the early part of this century, California's Native Americans are still here, still preserving (some of) their languages and much of their culture.

HIST 240 - Tuesday 8/28

Today was a short day and light on content.

Syllabus was distributed and reviewed.

Perhaps it's worth noting that the 7 (plus a bonus #8 Subject) two-week segments were highlighted and broken down as:

1) Creating California
2) Early California
3) California Gold
4) California Grows Up
5) Hollywood, California.
6) California's War, Rebirth and The 'Burbs
7) California and Californians
8) Beyond the Year 2000
Points that might resonate in discussion:

• California Superlatives - We are the biggest, the best... that there is "something about California," that makes people think in big superlative terms.
• As historians, can we think about the future? If California is an optimistic state, should we be optimistic about the future? If things fall apart should we be less optimistic?
• Using the example of hippies vs field workers in the 60's (The notion that while there were hippies "dying to be in the fields, workers were literally dying in the fields).
• He spoke a lot about historians as a distinct group/class of people (this historians take notes/read/etc in different ways). Talked about the California Dream.