Portable Assisted Study Sequence (PASS) Program

Course Description

Early California History focuses on California from the Native American period through 1850. Because California’s history is rich and varied, old drawings, maps, posters, songs, and photographs are included throughout the course. Literature of the time, including diaries, journals, legends, myths, novels, poetry, and nonfiction accounts help to synthesize the concepts. Early California History covers the following general historical periods in California history: The Native American period; European exploration from the early 1500s-1769; Spanish colonization, 1769-1821; The Mexican period, 1821-1848; The Gold Rush (beginning in 1848); and finally, statehood in 1850.

Credits: 5
Languages: English and Spanish
Released: 2010

State Standards

Course Content

Unit 1 – Indian Culture and Spanish Exploration

California Curriculum Standards
Students describe the social, political, cultural, and economic life and interactions among people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods.

Discuss the major nations of California Indians, including their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends, and religious beliefs; and describe how they depended on, adapted to, and modified the physical environment by cultivation of land and use of sea resources.
Identify the early land and sea routes to, and European settlements in, California with a focus on the exploration of the North Pacific, noting especially the importance of mountains, deserts, ocean currents, and wind patterns.

Students describe what is known through archaeological studies of the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic era to the agricultural revolution.

Identify the locations of human communities that populated the major regions of the world and describe how humans adapted to a variety of environments.

Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.

Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.

Describe the entrepreneurial characteristics of early explorers and the technological developments that made sea exploration by latitude and longitude possible.
Explain the aims, obstacles, and accomplishments of the explorers, sponsors, and leaders of key European expeditions and the reasons Europeans chose to explore and colonize the world.

Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers.

Describe the competition among the English, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Indian nations for control of North America.
Describe the cooperation that existed between the colonists and Indians during the 1600s and 1700s.

Chronological and Spatial Thinking. Students will:

Analyze how change happens at different rates at different times; understand that some aspects can change while others remain the same; and understand that change is complicated and affects not only technology and politics but also values and beliefs.

Compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.
Explain the central issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.
Judge the significance of the relative location of a place and analyze how relative advantages or disadvantages can change over time.
Place key events and people of the historical era they are studying in a chronological sequence and within a spatial context; they interpret time lines.
Relate current events to the physical and human characteristics of places and regions.
Summarize the key events of the era they are studying and explain the historical contexts of those events.
Use a variety of maps and documents to interpret human movement, including major patterns of domestic and international migration, changing environmental preferences and settlement patterns, the frictions that develop between population groups, and the diffusion of ideas, technological innovations, and goods.

Research, Evidence, and Point of View. Students will:

Pose relevant questions about events they encounter in historical documents, eyewitness accounts, oral histories, letters, diaries, artifacts, photographs, maps, artworks, and architecture.

Show the connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and larger social, economic, and political trends and developments.
Interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than solely in terms of present-day norms and values.
Understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.
Explain the central issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.
Understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations.
Recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is uncovered.

Summarize the key events of the era they are studying and explain the historical contexts of those events.

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

Describe early Indian life in California.
Recognize vocabulary terms having to do with life in Early California.
Identify important people and places from the time period.
Describe the culture and lifestyle of early California Indians.
Identify important Spanish explorers.
Explain how California was discovered and explored by the Spanish.
Understand the historical period and social climate of the time and how various explorers and settlers affected the areas in which they visited/settled.
Demonstrate their comprehension of material through a variety of activities including map analysis, short answer questions, analyzing and reflecting upon historical documents, listening to historic songs from the culture/historical context being discussed, etc.

Understand and utilize the Writing Process to produce written response to questions as well as a longer essay assignment.

Unit 2 — Spanish and Mexican Settlements in California

California Curriculum Standards
Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.

Use maps, charts, and pictures to describe how communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services, and transportation.

Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.

Explain the aims, obstacles, and accomplishments of the explorers, sponsors, and leaders of key European expeditions and the reasons Europeans chose to explore and colonize the world
Trace the routes of the major land explorers of the United States, the distances traveled by explorers, and the Atlantic trade routes that linked Africa, the West Indies, the British colonies, and Europe.
Locate on maps of North and South America land claimed by Spain, France, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Russia.

Students trace the colonization, immigration, and settlement patterns of the American people from 1789 to the mid-1800s, with emphasis on the role of economic incentives, effects of the physical and political geography, and transportation systems.

Students describe the social, political, cultural, and economic life and interactions among people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods.

Describe the Spanish exploration and colonization of California, including the relationships among soldiers, missionaries, and Indians (e.g., Juan Crespi, Junipero Serra, Gaspar de Portola).
Describe the mapping of, geographic basis of, and economic factors in the placement and function of the Spanish missions; and understand how the mission system expanded the influence of Spain and Catholicism throughout New Spain and Latin America.
Describe the daily lives of the people, native and nonnative, who occupied the presidios, missions, ranchos, and pueblos.
Discuss the role of the Franciscans in changing the economy of California from a hunter-gatherer economy to an agricultural economy.

Discuss Mexican settlements and their locations, cultural traditions, attitudes toward slavery, land-grant system, and economies.

Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers.

Describe the competition among the English, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Indian nations for control of North America.
Describe the cooperation that existed between the colonists and Indians during the 1600s and 1700s

Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.

Discuss Mexican settlements and their locations, cultural traditions, attitudes toward slavery, land-grant system, and economies.

Chronological and Spatial Thinking. Students will:

Analyze how change happens at different rates at different times; understand that some aspects can change while others remain the same; and understand that change is complicated and affects not only technology and politics but also values and beliefs.
Compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.
Construct various time lines of key events, people, and periods of the historical era they are studying.
Explain how major events are related to one another in time.
Use a variety of maps and documents to interpret human movement, including major patterns of domestic and international migration, changing environmental preferences and settlement patterns, the frictions that develop between population groups, and the diffusion of ideas, technological innovations, and goods.

Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View. Students will:

Assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound conclusions from them.
Distinguish fact from opinion in historical narratives and stories.
Identify bias and prejudice in historical interpretations.
Students detect the different historical points of view on historical events and determine the context in which the historical statements were made (the questions asked, sources used, author’s perspectives).

Historical Interpretation. Students will:

Explain the central issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.

Interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than solely in terms of present-day norms and values.

Recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is uncovered.

Show the connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and larger social, economic, and political trends and developments.
Understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

Recognize vocabulary terms having to do with life in Early California.
Identify important people and places from the time period.
Describe early Indian life in California.
Explain how the Jesuits established missions in Baja California.
Describe the Franciscan missions and how they were established in Alta California.
Understand how and why Spain encouraged the mission establishments in California.
Understand the Mexican Revolution and how that affected California.
Describe the “Mexican Period” of California.

Understand the historical period and social climate of the time and how various explorers and settlers affected the areas in which they visited/settled.
Demonstrate their comprehension of material through a variety of activities including map analysis, short answer questions, analyzing and reflecting upon historical documents, listening to historic songs from the culture/historical context being discussed, etc.

Understand and utilize the Writing Process to produce written response to questions as well as a longer essay assignment.

Unit 3 — Americans Settle in California

California Curriculum Standards
Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.

Use maps, charts, and pictures to describe how communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services, and transportation.

Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.

Explain the aims, obstacles, and accomplishments of the explorers, sponsors, and leaders of key European expeditions and the reasons Europeans chose to explore and colonize the world
Trace the routes of the major land explorers of the United States, the distances traveled by explorers, and the Atlantic trade routes that linked Africa, the West Indies, the British colonies, and Europe.
Locate on maps of North and South America land claimed by Spain, France, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Russia.

Discuss the period of Mexican rule in California and its attributes, including land grants, secularization of the missions, and the rise of the rancho economy.

Students explain the economic, social, and political life in California from the establishment of the Bear Flag Republic through the Mexican-American War, the Gold Rush, and the granting of statehood.

Identify the locations of Mexican settlements in California and those of other settlements, including Fort Ross and Sutter’s Fort.
Compare how and why people traveled to California and the routes they traveled (e.g., James Beckwourth, John Bidwell, John C. Fremont, Pio Pico).

Discuss the experiences of settlers on the overland trails to the West (e.g., location of the routes; purpose of the journeys; the influence of the terrain, rivers, vegetation, and climate; life in the territories at the end of these trails).

Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.

Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades.

Chronological and Spatial Thinking. Students will:

Analyze how change happens at different rates at different times; understand that some aspects can change while others remain the same; and understand that change is complicated and affects not only technology and politics but also values and beliefs.
Compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.
Construct various time lines of key events, people, and periods of the historical era they are studying.
Explain how major events are related to one another in time.
Use a variety of maps and documents to interpret human movement, including major patterns of domestic and international migration, changing environmental preferences and settlement patterns, the frictions that develop between population groups, and the diffusion of ideas, technological innovations, and goods.

Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View. Students will:

Assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound conclusions from them.
Distinguish relevant from irrelevant information, essential from incidental information, and verifiable from unverifiable information in historical narratives and stories.
Identify bias and prejudice in historical interpretations.
Detect the different historical points of view on historical events and determine the context in which the historical statements were made

Historical Interpretation. Students will:

Explain the central issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.

Interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than solely in terms of present-day norms and values.

Recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is uncovered.
Recognize the role of chance, oversight, and error in history.
Show the connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and larger social, economic, and political trends and developments.

Understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

Recognize vocabulary terms having to do with life in Early California.
Identify important people and places from the time period.
Describe mountain men, their culture, habits, motivations, characteristics, and contributions to California history.
Explain how and why Americans began to settle in California.
Describe the overland pioneers, the challenges they faced, why they wanted to move, and how they affected California history.
Understand the tragedy of the Donner Party, the mistakes that were made that contributed to their fate, and their significance as a symbol of the hardship and bravery of American pioneers.
Demonstrate their comprehension of material through a variety of activities including map analysis, short answer questions, analyzing and reflecting upon historical documents, etc.

Understand and utilize the Writing Process to produce written response to questions as well as a longer essay assignment.

Unit 4 — The American Conquest

California Curriculum Standards
Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.

Use maps, charts, and pictures to describe how communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services, and transportation.

Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.

Explain the aims, obstacles, and accomplishments of the explorers, sponsors, and leaders of key European expeditions and the reasons Europeans chose to explore and colonize the world
Trace the routes of the major land explorers of the United States, the distances traveled by explorers, and the Atlantic trade routes that linked Africa, the West Indies, the British colonies, and Europe.
Locate on maps of North and South America land claimed by Spain, France, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Russia.

Discuss the period of Mexican rule in California and its attributes, including land grants, secularization of the missions, and the rise of the rancho economy.

Identify the locations of Mexican settlements in California and those of other settlements, including Fort Ross and Sutter’s Fort.
Compare how and why people traveled to California and the routes they traveled

Relate how and when California, Texas, Oregon, and other western lands became part of the United States, including the significance of the Texas War for Independence and the Mexican-American War.

Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.

Describe the Texas War for Independence and the Mexican-American War, including territorial settlements, the aftermath of the wars, and the effects the wars had on the lives of Americans, including Mexican Americans today.
Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades.
Discuss Mexican settlements and their locations, cultural traditions, attitudes toward slavery, land-grant system, and economies.

Students describe interactions among people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods.

Describe the daily lives of the people, native and nonnative, who occupied the presidios, missions, ranchos, and pueblos.
Discuss the period of Mexican rule in California and its attributes, including land grants, secularization of the missions, and the rise of the rancho economy.

Students explain the economic, social, and political life in California from the establishment of the Bear Flag Republic through the Mexican-American War

Discuss the role of broken treaties and massacres and the factors that led to the Indians’ defeat, including the resistance of Indian nations to encroachments and assimilation

Chronological and Spatial Thinking. Students will:

Analyze how change happens at different rates at different times; understand that some aspects can change while others remain the same; and understand that change is complicated and affects not only technology and politics but also values and beliefs.
Compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.
Construct various time lines of key events, people, and periods of the historical era they are studying.
Explain how major events are related to one another in time.
Use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems.

Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View. Students will:

Distinguish fact from opinion in historical narratives and stories.
Assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound conclusions from them.

Historical Interpretation. Students will:

Explain the central issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.
Explain the sources of historical continuity and how the combination of ideas and events explains the emergence of new patterns.
Interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than solely in terms of present-day norms and values.
Recognize the role of chance, oversight, and error in history.
Show the connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and larger social, economic, and political trends and developments.
Understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations.

Understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will be able to:

Recognize vocabulary terms having to do with life in Early California.
Identify important people and places from the time period.
Understand the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny.
Explain how and why Americans began to settle in California.
Describe how the Texas war for independence and its annexation ten years later affected the history of California.
Understand the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War on California history.
Read the novel Ramona and make connections between the themes and events in the book with California history and information presented in this course.

Demonstrate their comprehension of material through a variety of activities including map analysis, short answer questions, analyzing and reflecting upon historical documents, etc.

Understand and utilize the Writing Process to produce written response to questions as well as a longer essay assignment.

Unit 5 — The Gold Rush and Statehood

California Curriculum Standards
Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.

Use maps, charts, and pictures to describe how communities in California vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services, and transportation.
Identify the state capital and describe the various regions of California, including how their characteristics and physical environments affect human activity.
Identify the locations of the Pacific Ocean, rivers, valleys, and mountain passes and explain their effects on the growth of towns.

Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.

Explain the aims, obstacles, and accomplishments of the explorers, sponsors, and leaders of key European expeditions and the reasons Europeans chose to explore and colonize the world
Trace the routes of the major land explorers of the United States, the distances traveled by explorers, and the Atlantic trade routes that linked Africa, the West Indies, the British colonies, and Europe.
Locate on maps of North and South America land claimed by Spain, France, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Russia.

Compare how and why people traveled to California and the routes they traveled
Analyze the effects of the Gold Rush on settlements, daily life, politics, and the physical environment

Discuss the waves of immigrants from Europe between 1789 and 1850 and their modes of transportation
Name the states and territories that existed in 1850 and identify their locations and major geographical features
Demonstrate knowledge of the explorations of the trans-Mississippi West
Discuss the experiences of settlers on the overland trails to the West
Relate how and when California, Texas, Oregon, and other western lands became part of the United States

Students explain the economic, social, and political life in California from the Gold Rush and the granting of statehood.

Analyze the effects of the Gold Rush on settlements, daily life, politics, and the physical environment
Study the lives of women who helped build early California
Discuss how California became a state and how its new government differed from those during the Spanish and Mexican periods

Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.

Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades.

Chronological and Spatial Thinking. Students will:

Analyze how change happens at different rates at different times; understand that some aspects can change while others remain the same; and understand that change is complicated and affects not only technology and politics but also values and beliefs.
Compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.
Construct various time lines of key events, people, and periods of the historical era they are studying.
Explain how major events are related to one another in time.
Use a variety of maps and documents to interpret human movement, including major patterns of domestic and international migration, changing environmental preferences and settlement patterns, the frictions that develop between population groups, and the diffusion of ideas, technological innovations, and goods.

Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View. Students will:

Distinguish fact from opinion in historical narratives and stories.
Detect the different historical points of view on historical events and determine the context in which the historical statements were made
Identify bias and prejudice in historical interpretations.

Historical Interpretation. Students will:

Analyze human modifications of landscapes.

Explain the central issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.
Explain the sources of historical continuity and how the combination of ideas and events explains the emergence of new patterns.

Interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than solely in terms of present-day norms and values.

Recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is uncovered.

Recognize the complexity of historical causes and effects, including the limitations on determining cause and effect.

Recognize the role of chance, oversight, and error in history.

Show the connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and larger social, economic, and political trends and developments.

Understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations.

Understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this Unit, students will:

Recognize vocabulary terms having to do with life in Early California.
Identify important people and places from the time period.
Understand the Gold Rush and its significance to California history.
Explain how and why forty-niners came to California.
Describe the mining life and what it was like to be a part of the Gold Rush.
Understand how California came to be the 31st state.
Read The Shirley Letters and make connections between the events described in the book and the California history and information presented in this Unit.
Understand the historical period and social climate of the time and how various explorers and settlers affected the areas in which they visited/settled.
Demonstrate their comprehension of material through a variety of activities including map analysis, short answer questions, analyzing and reflecting upon historical documents, listening to historic songs from the culture/historical context being discussed, etc.

Understand and utilize the Writing Process to produce written response to questions as well as a longer essay assignment.