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New to our library are eight Social Studies Units about California's State History. From Pre-Columbian Peoples to Becoming an Economic Power, give your students an in-depth look into the history of the Golden State!
Pre-Columbian Peoples of California
Peer through the looking-glass of time to a period before Europeans arrived in the West. Before the Spanish came to California in 1769, about 300,000 Indigenous peoples lived there, and different tribes were spread out all over.
Spanish Exploration and Colonization
Cartophiles will love poring over the many historic maps and paintings of the “New World,” while kids interested in the who/when/where can take in portraits of explorers, along with excerpts from primary source documents.
Mexican Settlement and Rule
Explore the triumphs and tragedies of Mexican settlements, including missions, ranchos, pueblos, and presidios. Settlers and missionaries experienced most of the triumphs, while Indigenous peoples experienced most of the tragedies.
Gold Rush
James Marshall found a nugget of gold while working at John Sutter’s mill. Marshall and Sutter wanted to keep the discovery a secret, but word got out, and between 1848 and 1858 striking it rich was the dream that drove thousands of people to California and changed its history forever.
Bear Flag Republic: Road to Statehood
Kids familiar with California’s state flag may wonder why it includes a bear. This is the place where they’ll find out. Along the way, they’ll discover the many reasons people traveled all the way west to California.
California: Becoming an Economic Power
Wherever people settle, the means of communication follow. Explore the early forms of communication that kept the West in touch with those in the East – the Pony Express, stagecoaches, railroads, and the telegraph.
Cultural Development and Diversity in California
Travel through California and you’ll find different cultures and traditions at every turn. In this unit, kids come to understand how the state became so diverse, beginning with a look-back of more than 150 years.
California: Places and Regions
Hop aboard! This train will take you everywhere you want to go in California, and then some. The journey begins with a bird’s-eye view of the state, leading kids to try besting one another to see who can come up with more ways to describe the geographic location of their hometown.
Interested in finding more materials that align to California state standards?
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