HIST G140: California History
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Committee Approval Date | 05/02/2023 |
| 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),
|
| 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 traces the transformation of California from the prehistoric era to the present, highlighting the uniqueness of the state. This course will offer a colorful array of stories examining the diverse geography of the region and the many peoples who, over the centuries, have made California their home. The ethnic groups that this course will cover include Native American, African American, Asian American, and Latina/o Americans. Topics include the Indigenous peoples of California, early explorers, Spanish missions, Mexican ranchos, the Bear Flag Revolt, the California Gold Rush, Statehood, the Railroad Era, Progressive Era reforms, Hollywood, the "West" as myth and memory, the Great Depression Era, World War II development, suburbanization, conflict and activism in marginalized populations, the new conservatism, ecological issues, the changing politics of the state and current events. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)
- Course Outcomes
- Analyze concepts such as race/racism, sex/sexism, ethnicity, ethnocentrism, self-determination, and social justice in California ethnic groups through written work and/or other forms of testing consistent with college-level expectations.
- Present compelling and original arguments displaying historical context, cause/effect, and/or change and continuity. Analysis should draw on both primary and secondary historical sources.
- Examine how Native, African, Asian, and Latino/a Americans challenged and combated racial, gender, and social inequities in California History.
Course Objectives
- 1. Analyze concepts such as race and racism, racialization, ethnicity, equity, ethno-centrism, eurocentrism, white supremacy, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, imperialism, settler colonialism, and antiracism as analyzed in any one or more of the following: Native American Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, and Latina and Latino American Studies.
- 2. Critically analyze the intersection of race and racism as they relate to class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, tribal citizenship, sovereignty, language, and/or age in Native American, African American, Asian American, and/or Latina and Latino American communities.
- 3. Describe and actively engage with anti-racist and anti-colonial issues and the practices and movements in Native American, African American, Asian American and/or Latina and Latino communities to analyze how they have built a just and equitable society.
- 4. Recognize the importance of conflicting interpretations of California events, especially as demonstrated by theory and knowledge produced by Native American, African America, Asian American and Latino/a Americans to contextualize the past in its own terms, with a particular emphasis on agency and group-affirmation.
- 5. Display investigatory and deductive skills analyzing a variety of source materials of Californias past, including documentation in both primary and secondary sources, oral history, pictures and film.
- 6. Formulate essential questions, pose new interpretations, and make conclusions using both primary and secondary sources for specific California events.
Lecture Content
Geography and climate of California - Areas of settlement California Native Americans Tribal origin and sovereignty Trends in class, gender, sexuality, spirituality, and language California becomes part of the Spanish Empire Spanish exploration and eurocentrism Spanish occupation and settler colonialism Racialization, resistance, and the short- and long-term impact of the Mission System Ethnocentrism and the development of pueblos and ranchos The Rancho Era Under Spain: 1800-1822 Sovereignty under Mexico: 1822-1848 Immigration and grants in Spanish and Mexican periods Development of hide and tallow trade American visitors and white supremacy American rule - Manifest Destiny The impact of the Oregon Trail Transnational politics and the Mexican-American War National origin and The Bear Flag Revolt Immigration, ability, class, and the short- and long-term impact of the Gold Rush The Compromise of 1850 California Constitution and Statehood African American and Indigenous slavery during the Gold Rush Integration: 1850-1890 California in the Civil War The Transcontinental Railroad and Asian immigrant workforces 1. The Big Four 2. Railroad politics National origin, immigration, language, ability, and struggle The dominance of Northern California 1800s onward The growth of Southern California Class, gender, immigration status, and resistance Anti-Asian Immigration and state legislation Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Early Environmentalism John Muir and Yosemite 1900 -1920s San Francisco Earthquake and fire Rebuilding Opening the Panama Canal and imperialism Progressive Republicanism Fighting the railroad New laws and initiatives Womens vote in California and self-determination A port at San Pedro California: Legend and Fact Hollywood and the film industry Myth and movies about "The West" Water, money, and politics: 1900-1930 Owens Valley: the San Fernando Valley The growth of Los Angeles and San Francisco African Americans and the Great Migration The California Aqueducts Communal, state, and national politics as defined by multiculturalism 1920s - automobiles and oil Highways Asian Americans and the Immigration Act of 1924 1930s A sanctuary from the Great Depression - Orange groves Okies culture in California and equity Upton Sinclair, class, and the E.P.I.C. movement 1940s - WWII builds contemporary California Aircraft in Southern California Ships in Richmond and self-determination Racialization, Manzanar, and Japanese Internment/Imprisonment camps African American Immigration to California White supremacy and relations with Latino/a Americans Race and racism in the Zoot Suit Riots Language and ability in Mendez v. Westminster California in the 1950s-1960s The Loyalty Oath Blacklisting in Hollywood Freeways and suburbia Technology and Aerospace in California New Conservatism in Orange County African Americans and the Civil Rights Movement in California Contes ting views of the Watts Riot Anti-racism and the Black Panther movement Governor Reagan Universities, social justice, solidarity, liberation, and counterculture Asain American activism The Third World Liberation Front 1970 - present Harvey Milk, sexuality, and the gay rights movement The AIDS Epidemic in San Francisco Governor Brown, Part One Conservatism in the 1980s From Cold War to tourism in California The Rodney King Riot and anti-racism Enron and the Power Crisis Challenges and Triumphs in California today
Method(s) of Instruction
- Lecture (02)
- DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
- DE Online Lecture (02X)
Reading Assignments
Weekly readings of assigned course textbooks. Can be paired with primary source readings and secondary source historical articles.
Writing Assignments
Assignments demonstrating students application of course content including knowledge of historical context, analysis of historical evidence, and completion of historical research.
Out-of-class Assignments
Discussions on course concepts or controversial issues in the past. Short written assignments, analytical essays, and research assignments on course content, sources, or historical articles.
Demonstration of Critical Thinking
Discussions and research essays that challenge students to distinguish the consequences of historical decisions or to take a stance on a controversial issue in the past. Analytical assignments that encourage students to read primary source evidence and examine connections with course content. Quizzes or other objective assignments that promote student comprehension and evaluation of the historical context.
Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration
Use of historical primary and secondary sources so students learn how to apply the course content and develop critical thinking and writing skills.
Eligible Disciplines
Ethnic studies: Masters degree in the ethnic studies field OR a masters degree in American studies/ethnicity, Latino studies, La Raza Studies, Central American studies, Latin American studies, cross cultural studies, race and ethnic relations, Asian-American studies, or African-American studies OR the equivalent OR see interdisciplinary studies. Masters degree required. 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, J. Bean, W. California, An Interpretive History (Latest), 10th ed. McGraw Hill, 2012 , ISBN: 9780073313269. Rationale: This is one of the principal California history textbooks. The Kevin Starr survey (California: A History)may be used instead, depending on specific needs of the course. 2. Required Starr, Kevin. California: A History (Latest), latest ed. Random House Publishing Group, 2007 Rationale: The J. Rawls and W. Bean textbook (California, An Interpretive History) may be used instead, depending on the needs of the course. 3. Required Cherny, R., Lemke-Santangelo, G., Griswold de Castillo, R. Competing Visions: A History of California, 2nd ed. SMC Book Gallery (OER) , 2021
Other Resources
1. Book-length primary sources such as: 2. Yosemite 3. Cesar Chavez: Autobiography of La Causa 4. On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family 5. Farewell to Manzanar 6. An Archive of Hope: Harvey Milks Speeches 7. Apron Full of Gold: The Letters of Mary Jane Megquier from San Francisco, 1849-1856 8. Primary sources from various points of view (Found on the course webpage, and/or printed out for students). 9. Newspaper articles relating to current events within the state.