California began as a mythical land described in Spanish literature, populated by Queen Calafia and her black Amazons. Native Americans lived across what would become California prior to European contact in 1542. Spain established Catholic missions across California in the 18th century to colonize and convert indigenous peoples. The discovery of gold in 1848 sparked the California Gold Rush and massive migration that shaped the population. A transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 to connect California with the eastern United States, employing large numbers of Chinese immigrant laborers.

1. CALIFORNIA
A History
By Jessica Jefferson
History - 141

2. Queen Calafia’s Island
Chapter 1
California began in myth. Garci Ordonez de
Montalvo wrote Las Sergas de
Esplandian, which told of the Spainsh explorers
“Californians.” These people were black inspired by these
Amazons led by Queen Calafia. They rode stories began in 1539 to
griffins and lived in a land filled with call a land recently
precious stones and metals. discovered California.

3. Queen Calafia’s Island
Chapter 1
The state of California has its
shore along the pacific
ocean, is 158,693 square
miles, and home to mountain
ranges, plains, deserts and
forests.
It is very geologically active, having multiple large faults
such as the San Andreas, Garlock, and San Jacinto lines.
California has the lowest point on the continent, located in
Death Valley, at 282 feet below sea level.

4. Queen Calafia’s Island
Chapter 1
The abundance of flora and fauna
provided more than enough for these
people to sustain themselves, and most
were not warlike in their relationships
with one another. They had highly
developed internal cultures infused with
art and rituals.
Native Americans lived
across the land, existing
in 22 distinct families,
and speaking 135
different languages.

5. Laws Of The Indies
Chapter 2
In 1535 Cortez arrived in Baja California during the final years of his New
World career, hoping to find riches, and named the area Santa Cruz.
European contact was made with the land in
1542, when Cabrillo anchored ship in San Diego Bay.

6. Laws Of The Indies
Chapter 2
The Jesuits, being an
international
organization with far-
reaching influence, led
by Eusebio Francisco
Kino and Juan Maria de
Salvatierra, went to
work establishing their
order in California. 18
missions were built in
Baja California.

7. Laws Of The Indies
Chapter 2
In 1765 Spain determined the
Jesuits had too much control over
California, and sent Galvez to
organize the settlement by
expulsion of the Jesuits. Upon
completion of this, the Sacred
Expedition to explore the state was
launched and met with vast
difficulties but did succeed in
establishing the mission frame work
that made habituating the area
possible.

8. Regulation, Railroad, and
Revolution
Chapter 5
Motivation for a transcontinental railroad came from desires to
better be connected with the rest of the Union to the East of
California and fear of the West being cutoff and isolated in the
event of invasion from the English and Confederacy.
Because of this by 1861
California senators
James McDougall and
Milton Latham were on
board with the Central
Pacific Railroad project.

9. Regulation, Railroad, and
Revolution
Chapter 5
Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles
Crocker formed the enterprise for this project. Starting with only
$15,800, the profit over the next decades would reach $200
million. Chinese labor was the source for the completion of this
task second only to the Great Wall of China.

10. Regulation, Railroad, and
Revolution
Chapter 5
The following decades were not good. Chinese were seen as
scapegoats for state and national problems. Bank failures and
stock schemes drained California of capitol. 154,000
impoverished migrants came to occupy the state, while actual
land ownership was reserved for only a very few, very rich men.
This is how California entered the 1800s.