Essay Exam/ Journal I (Cherny, Chs. 1-2 and Gastil, Chs. 1-4)
Keys for Success:
- Explain your points simply, like you would to another student.
- Write in short to medium-sized paragraphs.
- Use specific examples from our readings and class discussions. Instead of footnotes, simply put the lead author and one or more page numbers in parentheses. Example: (Cherny, 42)
- Relate your answers to major concepts and trends we have covered.
- When you use pictures, note how the pictures help us understand the topics.
Part I. Short Essays. Write short essays (about three paragraphs each) on two of the following items. Emphasize how the key term is important to the early history of California; tell how it relates to cultures, concepts or events we are studying. Please include a picture to go with each essay, and tell how the picture helps us understand the history.
New Spain Vizcaino
Chumash Father Serra
Monterey Presidios
Part II. Longer Essay. Write an essay essays of about five paragraphs on one of the following questions. Please share material that is different from what you shared in Part I. Please include a picture with each essay and tell how the picture helps us understand the history.
Native Cultures. What do you find most notable about the native cultures of California, before the era of European contact? Examine three specific culture groups described in your reading. How did these cultures develop in relation to their natural environments?
Era of Exploration. Explain a few of the events in the time period of the 1500s-1700s, when Spain and other countries were exploring California. Why was Spain interested in California? How much did they know about the area? Did this era have a big impact on our later history, or is it just an interesting era?
“Spanish” California. What types of people lived in Alta California in the late 1700s or early 1800s? Describe some of the challenges for people who settled here. Describe some key aspects of the lifestyle that developed in areas of California influenced by the missions, presidios and towns.
Part III. Journal. Here you will share about two pages of observations and reflections on the readings in Connecting California. This entry will relate to Chapters 1-4 (any of those chapters) in the Second Edition. If you use the First Edition, please use material from the Spanish Mission Era or earlier.
In your journal, please discuss at least four selections (primary or secondary sources) from Connecting California. Please put the title of each selection you use in bold. Examine each document critically, and consider how it adds to our understanding of the broader history we are studying. The strongest journals will show connections among the materials used, relating them to a common theme.