-
Period: 1492 to
Spanish Empire
Period of the Spanish Empire -
Period: 1500 to
Mercantilism
Period of Mercantilism (Economic and Trade System) -
1542
Spanish control expands
By 1542, Spanish control extended throughout coastal South America (New Castile), the Caribbean, and central America and Mexico (New Spain). -
Spanish exploration into America
Spanish incursion into the American southwest begins. -
Native Population in 1760
The population of Native Americans in California was approximately 300,000. -
Founding of the Missions begin
Founding of the Missions begins. The first Spanish mission is established in San Diego. -
Period: to
Spanish Colonization of California
The Spanish colonize California. -
Founding of Mission San Diego de Alcalá
The first of the 21 Spanish missions is established by Junipero Serra. -
Founding of Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo
Served as the headquarters for the entire mission chain from 1770 to 1803. It is also the home of California’s first library. -
Tongva Resistance
One of the first acts of resistance by Native Californians against the mission system. Tongva leaders attacked the San Gabriel Mission in response to Spanish soldiers’ violence against Tongva women. -
Founding of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
The fourth Spanish mission to be established, one of the first acts of Native resistance against the mission system, occurred here. -
Indian Revolt at Mission San Gabriel
Native Americans are tired of mistreatment and revolt against the Spanish. -
Mexico's Independence
Mexico gained independence from Spain. California became part of Mexico. -
Spanish Mercantilism Ends
Spanish Mercantilism ends, Mexican free trade begins. Those who remain become Mexicans. -
Period: to
Mexican Colonization of California
After Mexico gains independence, the Mexican colonization of California occurs. -
Founding of Mission San Francisco Solano
The 21st and last Spanish Mission established in California. -
1824 Colonization Act
This act promised land to Mexican citizens who stayed in or moved to California. -
1833 Secularization Act
This act prompted the dismantling of the California missions. -
Native American population in 1845
The Native American population in California was approximately 150,000. -
Mexican War
The Mexican War begins. -
Treaty of Cahuenga
The Treaty of Cahuenga was signed, signifying the end of the Mexican-American war in California. -
The Discovery of Gold
Gold is discovered at Sutter’s Mill, triggering the start of the Gold Rush. -
Phase 1 of the Gold Rush
Began in Spring of 1848. Local Northern California people began to "rush" to gold regions. -
Phase 2 of the Gold Rush
Began in Summer Fall of 1848. Experienced miners from Latin America, some from China, and some Hawaiian laborers begin joining the search for gold. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
End of the Mexican-American War. The US gains California, Texas, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and some parts of other states. -
Period: to
The California Gold Rush
The busiest years of the Gold Rush Period. -
Period: to
Phase 3 of the Gold Rush
Around 250k - 300k people came to California to find gold and seek better opportunities in the U.S. -
Period: to
Industrialization Period
California's key industries took off during this period, including mining, agriculture, railroads, oil, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and aircraft building. A period of urbanization, residential development, and wartime production. -
The End of the Gold Rush
The rush of people into California subsides. -
The First Kindergarten
Elizabeth Peabody sets up the first non-German Kindergarten. The creation of kindergartens in America meant that children were being removed from the constant care of their mothers to an environment where they had a teacher, usually female, and were surrounded by peers of similar ages. -
Pacific Railroad Act
This act provided Federal subsidies in land and loans for the construction of a transcontinental railroad across the United States. -
Beginning of Construction of CPRR
The beginning of construction for the Central Pacific Railroad, a railroad that would begin in Sacramento and would travel through the western part of the country, began its construction. -
Pacific Railway Act
A revision of the Pacific Railway Act of 1862. It clarified the rules of land grants and monetary compensation to the two companies contracted to build the transcontinental railroad. -
The Transcontinental Railroad is completed
-
Los Angeles Massacre
This massacre highlighted the racist views against Chinese Americans and immigrants in California, as hundreds of white individuals were killed and harmed Chinese residents in Chinatown, Los Angeles. -
Sandlot rallies
Marches on Chinatown: “The Chinese Must Go” slogan is spread. -
Tulare County Wars
A gunfight sparks the Tulare County Wars (also called the Mussel Slough tragedy). Seven farmers were killed, and five were convicted of murder. This event made farmers recognize that the SP could do whatever they wanted due to corruption. -
The Chinese Exclusion Act
The first of the Chinese Exclusion acts is passed. -
Interstate Commerce Act
The Interstate Commerce Act created an Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee the conduct of the corporations aka the railroad industry. With this act, the railroads became the first industry subject to Federal regulation. -
Period: to
The Progressive Period
An era of reform from the government that aimed at addressing issues of rapid industrialization, urbanization, and immigration. -
The Geary Act
The Geary Act is passed, extended the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 for an additional ten years. -
The Free Harbor Fight
A battle in Los Angeles between Collis P. Huntington, who wanted a private harbor in Santa Monica, and local boosters led by Senator Stephen White, who advocated for a publicly controlled harbor in San Pedro. The conflict ended with San Pedro being chosen as the official port of Los Angeles in 1897. -
The Octopus
A novel written by Frank Norris that explored the conflict between wheat farmers in the San Joaquin Valley and the Pacific and Southwestern Railroad highlighting corruption and the exploitation of farmers by powerful corporations who believed they could do anything with their influence and wealth. -
Asiatic Exclusion League
The formation of the Asiatic Exclusion League was established. They argued for the exclusions of all Asians, primarily the Japanese. -
The Jungle
A novel written by Upton Sinclair that describes the meatpacking industry as an extreme working environment and exposes the reality of the meatpacking industry’s working conditions, especially how immigrant workers were exploited in the meatpacking industry. -
Graft Trials
The public criminal investigations and trials of city officials, political leaders, and the Spring Valley water company that had been involved in installing clay pipes rather than iron pipes for San Francisco’s municipal water supplies that burst during the devastating 1906 earthquake. -
The 7.9 San Francisco Earthquake
San Francisco was nearly all destroyed by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake and an devastating fire. -
Gentleman's Act Established
The Gentlemen’s Act tried to limit the immigration of Japanese people into the U.S. -
1911 Special Elections
Passing of the initiative, the referendum, the recall, and women's suffrage, giving women the right to vote after 1911 before the ratification of the 19th Amendment (1920). -
The Alien Land Act
The Alien Land Act prevented aliens ineligible for citizenship from owning land to primarily prevent Japanese Americans from farming. The first Alien Land Act did not prevent/mandate that all landowners be the age of majority, the age of 21 or older. So, immigrants who had young children registered the land in their children's names or formed a corporation and registered their land under the corporation’s title. -
Home Teacher Act
The first of the Americanization programs in California that aimed to Americanize immigrant women by providing them with instruction in English, household skills, and American values/responsibilities. -
The Immigration Act of 1917
This law created a “barred zone” extending from the Middle East to Southeast Asia from which no persons were allowed to enter the United States. Its main restriction consisted of a literacy test intended to reduce European immigration. -
Child Labor Ban
Prohibited children from working outside of the home. Children under the age of 14 were prohibited from working in any industry except agriculture. -
The Second Alien Land Act
The Second Alien Land Act continued to perpetuate anti-immigration ideals by fixing the loopholes from the first Alien Land Act, targeting Japanese Americans. It prevented children from owning land and prevented aliens ineligible for citizenship from registering their land in the names of corporations. -
Gender Parity Reached
The 1920s provided the gender gap a chance to decrease in size and equality in terms of the numbers of men and women was reached. -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment is passed, granting women’s suffrage, giving women the right to officially vote. -
The Immigration Act of 1924 (Johnson-Reed Act)
The passing of this act limited the number of immigrants allowed entry into the United States through a national origins quota. -
Period: to
The Great Depression
-
The Dust Bowl
A period of massive, deadly dust storms throughout the 1930s caused by severe droughts and poor agricultural practices such as the removal of grasses for farming, exposing the topsoil that would eventually dry out and turn into dust storms, affecting those who lived in the Dust Bowl. All of which to the economic constraints of the Great Depression. -
The EPIC Movement (End Poverty in California)
A political campaign created by socialist writer Upton Sinclair as a means of addressing the economic crisis during the Great Depression that would provide poverty relief and reforms. Although Sinclair did not win the position of Governor of California, the campaign inspired reforms that aimed to address social and economic inequalities to end poverty, and would take California out of depression. Social security, unemployment insurance, Medicare, and welfare were key programs introduced. -
WWII Begins
-
Period: to
WWII Period
During WWII, California became a major center for defense production, with universities leading research for military innovations. -
The Bracero Program
Also called the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement. It was a formal agreement between the Mexican and U.S. governments that allowed American businesses to temporarily hire Mexican workers until 1964, increasing national production in the U.S., as the U.S. did not have enough American laborers who wanted to work. -
Executive Order No. 9066
The removal order, issued by President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the incarceration of mainly Japanese Americans and some Americans of Italian and German descent from California, Oregon, and Washington to relocation centers targeting them as resident aliens using federal, state, and local troops and agencies. -
Zoot Suit "Riots"
White sailors invaded Latino LA, attacked young men, started in downtown LA, and spread to East LA. Victims' clothes were torn from their backs, forced to strip, and beaten severely. They destroyed their clothes, urinated on them/set them on fire. LAPD “Vengeance Squad” arrives and arrests the victims. Five days of nighttime rioting. 150 Mexican Americans were injured. 500 Latino youth were arrested, but no sailors or soldiers were arrested. -
Korematsu v. United States
A lawsuit filed by Fred Korematsu, a young man who ignored the removal order, was apprehended, arrested, and jailed. The lawsuit challenged the federal government's internment orders, however, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, upheld the order. -
The Port Chicago Disaster
A deadly explosion occurred while loading ammunition and ordinance (bombs). 320 people were killed, and around 400 were injured. 65% of which were Black sailors soldiers. In August of 1944, 50 Black sailors refused to return to site, they were arrested and convicted of mutiny. -
WWII Ends
-
Mendez vs Westminster
Gonzalo Mendez sends his kids to Westminster schools, but they were not accepted. Mendez sues, reaching the CA Supreme Court in 1947, with Mendez winning. All CA schools were ordered to be desegregated several years before Brown v Board of Education (1954). -
Period: to
California: A Modern State
California’s population triples from 10 to 30 million due to native-born Americans arriving from other states and incoming immigration from Mexico seeking job opportunities. -
Freeway and Expressway Act
Freeways such as the 5, 10, 210, 405, and 605 freeways were constructed with federal funds to expand California transportation. -
The Fair Employment Practices Act
Prohibited employers and labor unions from discriminating against workers. -
Unruh Civil Rights Act
Prohibited discrimination by businesses and provided for victims to sue for damages in state courts. Prohibited discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, color, religion, medical status, and disability. -
The Donahue Act
Established the Master Plan for Higher Education in California, which created a coordinated system of higher education with clearly defined functions at each level (CC, CSU, and UC) and specified admissions requirements. -
State Water Project
Aimed to improve California’s water infrastructure by establishing one of the largest water distribution systems with the introduction of more dams, canals, and pipelines. It continues to operate today. -
The Rumford Fair Housing Act
Prohibited discrimination in public housing or apartments with more than 5 units based on race, religion, national origin, and ancestry. -
Berkeley’s Free Speech Movement
Berkeley students protested against the university's restrictions on political activity. The movement stands as a symbol of the First Amendment right to free speech, especially for students. -
The Immigration (Hart-Cellar) Act
Abolished the national-origin quota system that favored European immigrants. Instead, it established a preference system based on family relations and valuable skills for immigrants, opening up immigration opportunities for non-European immigrants.