HIST C150: History of California
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Committee Approval Date | 02/24/2023 |
| Top Code | 220500 - History |
| Units | 3 Total Units |
| Hours | 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54) |
| Total Outside of Class Hours | 0 |
| Course Credit Status | Credit: Degree Applicable (D) |
| Material Fee | No |
| Basic Skills | Not Basic Skills (N) |
| Repeatable | No |
| Grading Policy | Standard Letter (S),
|
| Local General Education (GE) |
|
| California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) |
|
| Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) |
|
| California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth) |
|
Course Description
This course covers the development of California from the earliest times to the present, analyzing the different cultures which have inhabited this region and the diverse societies they have created. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)
- Given a key economic, political, social, or cultural trend or event in California's historical development, construct a well-organized argument, supported with relevant evidence, which evaluates the causes and/or implications of this trend or event.
- Given primary and/or secondary sources relating to the history of California analyze their meaning and usefulness as evidence.
Course Objectives
- 1. Evaluate how the regions natural conditions, including its climate, geology, and location, have influenced human societies in California.
- 2. Analyze Californias significance in terms of its impact upon the nation and the world at large.
- 3. Compare and contrast the social, economic, political, and cultural characteristics of Native-American, Hispanic, and American societies in California.
- 4. Evaluate how differences in ethnicity, race, gender, and class have influenced Californias historical development.
- 5. Analyze the role played by government in shaping the development of California.
Lecture Content
CALIFORNIAS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Geographic, geological, and climatic conditions. NATIVE-AMERICANS Key cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics of Native societies. SPANISH CALIFORNIA Spanish exploration and settlement with a focus on the evolution and implications of the Mission system. MEXICAN CALIFORNIA Implications of the quasi-feudalistic culture, the dimensions of the pastoral economy, and the various conflicts which limited the ability of Hispanic society to control this region. AMERICAN CONQUEST Reasons for American interest in California, including American perceptions of Hispanic Society, and the history and consequences of the Bear Flag Revolt and the Mexican-American war. GOLD RUSH Analysis of the “myths” surrounding the gold rush, and the realities. Implications of the gold rush in how it changed California, both in the short-term and the long-term. EARLY STATE Key characteristics of the early American state including the lack of well-organized government and the manner in which American society dealt with various racial and ethnic minorities. ECONOMIC MONOPOLIES Evaluate the extent of monopoly control in transportation, land, and water and the implications of these monopolies for the California economy. THE WORKINGMANS MOVEMENT Ramifications of corporate monopolies and the depression of the 1870s, including the rise of the anti-Chinese movement and the labor movement. SAN FRANCISCO AND THE NORTH San Franciscos rise as an industrial, financial, and cultural center for California and the southwest and the citys core cultural and de mographic features. Analyze the reasons for San Franciscos declining status in the early 20th century. LOS ANGELES AND THE SOUTH Shift of center of economic development and population growth to southern California, including a comparison of the demographics, culture, economy, and politics of northern and southern California. PROGRESSIVE REFORM Californias political system in the late 19th and early 20th century, with particular focus on the progressive response, including their strategies for transforming Californias political system, and their accomplishments. EARLY 20TH CENTURY ECONOMY The evolving economy of the state, with a focus on suburbanization, new industries such as film, aircraft, oil, and the creation of key physical and political infrastructures that promoted this development. THE GREAT DEPRESSION Impact of the Depression including social conflicts and the politics of the era, with a particular focus on the EPIC campaign. WORLD WAR TWO Extent to which this event helped create modern California and social tensions that emerge during the war, with particular focus on the plight of Japanese-Americans. THE GOLDEN AGE Post-war development of California, including changes in the political system and the growing importance of new economic sectors, such as high-technology and aerospace. Focus also on ongoing infrastructure improvements in water, transportation, and education. TURBULENT TIMES Social and political unrest of the 1960s and the emergence of the age of environmental and political limitations. THE MODERN AGE Contemporary challenges faced by the state, including changing econ omics, ongoing social unrest, and negative implications of the states 20th-century success in attracting population and growth.
Method(s) of Instruction
- Lecture (02)
- DE Online Lecture (02X)
Instructional Techniques
A variety of instructional techniques will be employed to encompass different student learning styles. These may include, but are not limited to, lecture, discussion, and small-group activities. Instruction will be supplemented, where appropriate, by PowerPoint presentations, electronic resources and technologies, guest speakers, and field trips.
Reading Assignments
Students will complete reading assignments from the textbook as well as any supplemental reading based upon course readers, handouts, Internet resources, and assignments from the Coastline Library.
Writing Assignments
Both midterm and final exams will include at least one essay designed to assess students ability to construct a coherent historical argument supported with relevant evidence. There will be at least one written assignment involving the analysis of primary and/or secondary sources in California history.
Out-of-class Assignments
Outside of the classroom students will do the required reading, study for quizzes and exams, and conduct research, where applicable, to prepare papers and essays.
Demonstration of Critical Thinking
Students will demonstrate critical thinking through written work such as essays and papers as well as active participation in class discussions.
Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration
Students will be required to complete one or more essays as a component of the midterm and/or final exams and at least one additional paper based upon primary and/or secondary historical sources.
Eligible Disciplines
History: Masters degree in history OR bachelors degree in history AND masters degree in political science, humanities, geography, area studies, womens studies, social science, or ethnic studies OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.
Textbooks Resources
1. Required Rawls, James J.; Bean, Walton. California: An Interpretive History, 10th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2012 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 2. Required Rice, Richard B.; Bullough, William A.; Orsi, Richard J. The Elusive Eden: A New History of California, 5th ed. Waveland Press, Inc., 2020 Rationale: - 3. Required Chang, Sucheng; Olin, Spencer (editors). Major Problems in California History, 1st ed. Cengage Learning, 2004 Rationale: No recent edition of this book available. Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 4. Required Rolle, A.; Verge, A. California: A History, 8th ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2014 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 5. Required Cherny, Robert W.; Lemke-Santangelo, Gretchen; and de Castillo, Richard Griswold. Competing Visions: A History of California, 1st ed. SMC Open Access Books, 2021
Other Resources
1. Coastline Library