Week 6- Anderson 2005

Quote from Lucy Young (Lassik and Wailaki elder): "White people want our land, want destroy us. Break and burn all our basket, break our pounding rock. Destroy our ropes. No snares, no deerskin, flint knife, nothing." (1936 at age 90)

In Las Sergas de Esplandían by Garci Ordóñes de Montalvo, a mythical island named California is described as a realm ruled by Queen Calafia and populated by strong black women. This image influenced Spanish explorers in the 16th century.
Hernán Cortés and followers likely contributed to the name California, which was derived from this fictional place.

European settlers from the 16th to the 19th centuries projected their dreams and ambitions onto California, often ignoring the rich cultures of its indigenous peoples.
Indigenous peoples were portrayed as inferior, with a view stemming from a dualistic worldview prevalent among Europeans: civilization vs. wilderness.
Wilderness: The term etymologically means “the place of wild beasts,” reflecting how European explorers viewed the land as uncivilized and chaotic.
- The concept of wilderness defined European explorers' perspectives when engaging with North America and California.
- Spanish and Mexican missionaries and settlers introduced devastation through genocide and ecological destruction due to changes in land use and resource extraction.

The colonizers established various economic enterprises that resulted in significant alterations to ecological systems impacting the traditional livelihoods of Native Californians.
- Examples of Economic Impacts:
- Introduction of alien food crops, hunting of native animals, and use of land for grazing.
- Native gathering sites were disrupted and converted to farms, timberlands, and ranch lands.

Despite oppression, Native Californians employed various forms of resistance: active and passive.
- Examples include fleeing to unsettled areas, secretly practicing traditions, setting fires, theft, and open warfare.
Population Decline: Between 1769-1890, the Native Californian population declined from about 310,000 to 17,000, largely due to disease, starvation, and violence, referred to by historian Russell Thornton as a “holocaust.”

By 1542, European explorers began claiming parts of California while searching for riches and trade routes.
- Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo: Sailed under Spain on June 27, 1542, initially seeking the Strait of Anián; he became the first non-Indigenous person to land in Baja California, specifically San Diego.
- Cabrillo encountered various indigenous tribes, including the Kumeyaay, described as well-built individuals. He renamed many towns which demonstrated a lack of respect for indigenous identities.
- Historical Notes: Cabrillo's expedition continued up to the Russian River before facing conflict with local Chumash, leading to Cabrillo's injury and death in 1543.

Following European exploration, Spain established significant trade routes allowing the transportation of goods from the Philippines to meet demands in Spain, alongside recruiting local resources from California.

Sir Francis Drake (1577-1579): Commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I, Drake plundered Spanish ships and claimed land in California for England, calling it Nova Albion. Relationships with indigenous people varied from cautious alliances to situations of mistrust.

Sebastian Rodríguez Cermeño (1595): Attempted exploration for potential ports and noted diverse Indian settlements and wealth in resources.
Sebastián Vizcaíno (1602): His expedition established a more systematic effort to document and navigate the California coast but led to little immediate colonization.

Early European explorers might have inadvertently introduced non-native flora to California, changing plant dynamics.
- Hypotheses suggest over time seeds brought in ballast or through animal waste could have led to ecological changes.

The mission system was established primarily as a means of control over native populations and land, with Junípero Serra leading efforts to set up missions from San Diego to Sonoma.
Over 20 missions were built, alongside military presidios and villages.

The mission system was characterized by the conversion of indigenous peoples to Christianity and European ways, often through force.
- Labor provided by indigenous populations was essential for mission sustainability; however, conditions were often brutal, leading to high mortality rates from diseases and harsh living conditions.

High mortality rates recorded within mission populations, with evidence of brutal treatment and punishment of disobedient indigenous individuals.
- The sharp decline in indigenous population due to diseases, forced changes in lifestyle, and oppression recorded significant demographic shifts within California.

The mission period caused notable environmental changes, particularly through livestock grazing and agricultural practices which disrupt established ecosystems.
- Effects Experienced: Overgrazing led to soil erosion, displacement of native flora, and depletion of natural resources critical for indigenous survival.

Post-Independence in 1821, Mexico's governance had a minimal impact on indigenous rights, though promised land ownership often failed in practice.
- Major epidemics in the 1830s decimated regional Indian populations alongside armed conflicts.

The influx of Americans during the 1820s introduced new dynamics, capturing fur and interacting with indigenous peoples, often leading to exploitation.

The 1830s saw the secularization efforts of California missions, taking land away from indigenous peoples who were promised ownership but received little.
- Ranchos became prevalent, often established on former mission lands, leading to significant socio-economic changes.

An emergent system of labor in ranchos further exploited indigenous labor, continuing cycles of systemic inequity and cultural deconstruction.

The Gold Rush (1846–1860) ushered in a new phase of conflict and rapid population change, which continued to alter the environmental and cultural landscapes of California.