Archive for category: History

Online Discussion 3: Mariano Payeras and the California Missions
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Chapter Analysis

Please read Chapter 2 of your book, Human Tradition in California: Father President Mariano Payeras – A View of the California Missions.
After reading the chapter, answer the questions below. After you submit your post, you will be able to see your peers’ responses. Then, you can reply to two posts from your classmates.
Remember thoughtful, meaningful and respectful posts.
Don’t forget to check the rubric.

QUESTIONS:

What is the main argument of the article? How does the author prove it?

What was the purpose of the Spanish Mission System in California? When was it established and where?

Who is Father Mariano Payeras? What are his duties? Why does he struggle with his mission duties?

4. What were some of the other challenges that Native Americans or priests faced during this time? Explain why. Provide examples from the reading.

5. Please share two themes that you got from the reading and explain why. Theme examples include Culture, Gender, Race, Politics, Power, Hierarchy, Inequality, Economics, Complexity, Conflict, Class, Environment, Change, Freedom, etc (Make sure to explain why you chose those two themes).

6. List a question that the reading makes you think about and what you think might the answer be. Also, explain why you picked that question.

7. What have you learned from reading this chapter? Explain.

8. Share two passages (each passage should be at least a full sentence) from the reading that you found meaningful, followed by a brief explanation of what you think each passage or quote means or points to, especially in broader terms (i.e. connections to history, society, culture, etc.

The format for question #6 should be like this:

“quote quote quote” (52).

Now give your explanation: Why did you choose this quote? What did it make you reflect on? How can this quote be connected to history, culture, society, etc.?

For those who don’t have a copy of the book yet, here is an attached copy of the article (make sure to get your book soon. A digital copy of the book is available):

Father President Mariano Payeras- A View of the California Missions.pdfPreview the document
For this Online Discussion, you will:

1. You will search the online archives for TWO primary source documents on the California Gold Rush and analyze it. (A primary source document can be a letter, diary, picture, a written law — anything that was produced during the Gold Rush era.)

Use one of the following credible archival websites to search for TWO primary source documents that you want to write about in this discussion.
https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/gold-rush/#intro (Links to an external site.)

https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/california-gold-rush/sources/1903 (Links to an external site.)

https://bancroft.berkeley.edu/Exhibits/Goldrush/index.html (Links to an external site.)

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/stories/articles/2017/1/16/california-gold-rush-letters (Links to an external site.)

http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/ows/seminarsflvs/ShirleyLetters.pdf (Links to an external site.)

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6516/ (Links to an external site.)

Once you settle on your TWO primary source documents, provide us a summary of each one and explain why you think how each one is important when studying the California Gold Rush period.

Be sure to include important details like the author, anything about the author, what’s happening, when it was published, what is the primary document about, who was it meant for, etc.).
Make sure to share your primary source document in the discussion so your peers can see it. Click on the “embed the image” at the toolbar above. You may have to download the image then upload it in your Canvas before it will allow you to “embed”. If you just try to attach it, it won’t have the same effect.
Remember, your discussion needs a minimum of 300 words, but you can write more if you get into your primary source documents.

EXTRA CREDIT OPTION

For an additional 3 points extra credit, you can write a “letter” imagining yourself being a person living during the time of the California Gold Rush era. This extra credit DOES NOT count toward the 300-minimum word count from the assignment above.

But if you decide to do it, then add it to the bottom of your discussion. Separate it by subtitling it EXTRA CREDIT – Letter

Extra credit directions:

Write a “short letter” (a paragraph or two) to someone that talks about you or something you are experiencing during the California Gold Rush.

The person you choose to be must be someone who was impacted by the California Gold Rush era in some way.
Who was impacted by the California Gold Rush? Many. To give you a general idea:
The Gold Rush drew people (mostly men) from all over the world, including Chinese, Mexicans (i.e. Sonorans who actually were familiar with mining), Europeans (i.e. British or French), Australians, Hawaiians, and Latin Americans (i.e. Chileans and Peruvians), as well as a good majority of Americans coming in from the East and South (mostly young white men, approximately in their late teens and 20s-30s — none who knew much about gold or mining although the Americans were largely middle class (i.e. lawyers, merchants, bankers, farmers, and ministers who had the finances to afford the travel).
There were also both free and enslaved African Americans who made the journey west in hopes of freedom, equality, and opportunity in California’s Gold Rush (remember, slavery existed at this time in Southern states).
As for women, it was nearly impossible for them to have access to the gold rush; it was mainly for men. But there were women in California there at the time; there were Indian, Chinese, and Mexican women, although their status, power, and voices were often limited and overlooked. If they were in the gold mining camps, these women were relegated to laundry, cooking, or even prostitution for survival or poverty.
There was also a very small percentage of white women who traveled with their spouses or even alone after the loss of a husband due to illness along the way westward, for example. Think of Louise Amelia Clappe (Dame Shirley). She is one of your links to the primary source document above.
Keep in mind, the year gold was discovered was the year that Mexico signed a treaty giving up California as a result of the Mexican American War so there were still a number of Mexicans (they called themselves Californios) who chose to remain in California and not leave to Mexico. They initially had power and influence, but this period was a fragile time for them.
Other people who were impacted (think of those who were not in California but were just as affected): Think of the wives, parents or other loved ones who were left behind as they waited and waited for their gold-seeking loved ones to someday return home with riches only to find that it did not turn out that way. Maybe the gold seeker decided to stay in California or maybe the riches were nowhere to be had due to many obstacles. (You can also consider being one of these persons as well as their voices are just as important).
Once you settle on a person, then write a short letter to someone where you share your thoughts (i.e., excitement, hopes, frustrations, sadness), or other experiences at the time. Just 1-2 paragraphs.