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Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo: California’s First Tourist

By Damian Bacich

What did Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo do and why is he important? Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo is best known for being the first European to successfully navigate the Pacific coast of what is today California to points north of the San Francisco Bay. During … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Early Land and Sea Routes, Hispanic Heritage, Spanish Exploration and Colonization Tagged With: Channel Islands, Chumash, Kumeyaay, Point Reyes, Rodriguez Cabrillo, San Diego, San Salvador, Strait of Anián

Ranchos in California: The Spanish and Mexican Eras

By Damian Bacich

For many years ranchos defined the early California lifestyle. Their impact remains with us today. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Californios, Hispanic Heritage, Mexican Rule Tagged With: Andrés Pico, Domínguez, Gen. Mariano G. Vallejo, Monterey, Pío Pico, Rancho Camulos, Vaqueros

9 Ways the Missions Impacted California

By Damian Bacich

How did the Missions Affect California? Much of the culture of California has its roots in the history of the Spanish missions. And although the missions were only fully active for about 60 years, their presence had a major impact on many areas of … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: 4th Grade, Hispanic Heritage, Spanish Missions Tagged With: agriculture, art, cities, ethnography, irrigation, libraries, Mission San Carlos Borromeo, Music, place names, San Luis Obispo, tourism, trade, wine

Native American Life at Mission San Diego de Alcalá

By Damian Bacich

What was daily life like for Native Americans at Mission San Diego de Alcalá? What did they eat? What jobs did they do? An introduction to life at Alta California’s 1st Spanish Mission. Who Founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá and When Was It … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage, Native Americans, Spanish Missions

Why Did Native Americans Come to the California Missions?

By Damian Bacich

Why Did Native Americans Come to the Missions?

Native Americans came to the California missions for a variety of reasons. Some of these were: protection from their enemies, access to stable food sources, attraction to Spanish culture and religion, fear of Spanish weapons and a desire to stay … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: California Indians, Indians featured, Native Americans, Resources, Spanish Missions Tagged With: Native Americans, spanish missions

How Did the California Missions End?

By Damian Bacich

Mission Secularization

The California missions ended after Mexico became independent of Spain. The newly independent Mexican government eventually passed laws that called for an end to the mission system through a process called “secularization.”  Secularization: … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Mexican Rule, Spanish Missions Tagged With: El Camino Real, Mission San Diego de Alcala, Mission Santa Bárbara, Secularization

Native Americans of the California Coast: The Chumash

By Damian Bacich

The Chumash are a widespread group of California native people who lived along the southern California coast and the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: California Indians, Native Americans, Resources Tagged With: Channel Islands, Mission La Purisima, pictograph, rock art, San Buenaventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, tomol

Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo: General of the Northern Frontier

By Damian Bacich

Military commander, town founder, politician, patriarch. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was arguably the most powerful man in northern Alta California. After the American takeover, he helped form the new state and fought to preserve the history of Spanish … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Californios, Hispanic Heritage, Mexican Rule, Soldiers and Presidios Tagged With: Benicia, Chief Solano, Sonoma, Vallejo

Saving the Stories of La Raza

By Damian Bacich

Not long ago I was invited to attend a gathering at a trendy Mexican restaurant in downtown San José, California. As I walked inside, I noticed an eclectic group of professionals, from teachers to engineers, journalists to professors. The bond that … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage, Resources Tagged With: Juana Briones, Silicon Valley

Adopted by Indians: A True Story (Review)

By Damian Bacich

Author: Thomas Jefferson Mayfield Editor: Malcolm Margolin Illustrators: Hilair Chism, Rick Jones Paperback: 144 pages Publisher and Year: Heyday Books, 1997 As we perused the gift shop of a local history museum, I noticed my son was reading one … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Books, California Indians, Daily Lives Tagged With: Bay Area, California Indians (Standard 1), Choinumne, Daily Lives (Standard 5), Native Americans, Primary Sources

Life at a California Mission: A Native American Perspective

By Damian Bacich

In the 1830's, a young man named Pablo Tac wrote about his experiences growing up at Mission San Luis Rey. It is one of the only firsthand accounts written by a Native American who lived at a mission. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: 4th Grade, California Indians, Daily Lives, Indians featured, Native Americans, Primary Sources, Resources Tagged With: Agapito Amamix, Antonio Peyri, California Indians (Standard 1), Daily Lives (Standard 5), Luiseño, Native Americans, Pablo Tac, Pala, Primary Sources, San Diego

Grit and Grace on the Golden Gate: The Unforgettable Juana Briones

By Damian Bacich

Juana Briones lived in Spanish, Mexican and U.S. California and she left her mark on all three. Now she is receiving the attention she deserves. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Californios, Daily Lives, European Settlements, Hispanic Heritage, Resources, Soldiers and Presidios, Spanish Exploration and Colonization Tagged With: Juana Briones, women

The Anza Expedition of 1775-76: Members and Their Families

By Damian Bacich

In January of 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza arrived in Alta California with just over 200 men, women and children from Tubac in today's Arizona. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Californios, European Settlements, Spanish Exploration and Colonization Tagged With: Felipe de Neve, Juan Bautista de Anza, Los Californianos, pobladores, soldados, Tubac, vecinos

Origins of Mexican Independence Part 3: Breaking Away

By Damian Bacich

With a foreign occupier in control of Spain and the royal family in exile in France, people in the Spanish territories in the Americas found themselves at a crossroads. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Mexican War for Independence Tagged With: Agustín Iturbide, Californios, Hipólito Bouchard, Juana Machado, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Plan of Iguala, Virgin of Guadalupe

Salinan Tribe Facts

By Damian Bacich

… [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Native American Tribe Facts, Resources

Origins of Mexican Independence: Part 2 of a Series

By Damian Bacich

With a French family on the Spanish throne, two events had an irreversible effect on Spain's relationship with her colonies.  … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: 4th Grade, Mexican War for Independence, Spain Tagged With: Goya, Jesuits, Latin America, Mexican Independence

The Chumash at a Glance

By Damian Bacich

Chumash is the name given to the original inhabitants of the central coast of California, from Morro Bay to Malibu, and three of the Channel Islands. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Resources

The Castro Adobe: A Californio Landmark Restored

By Damian Bacich

The Castro Adobe: A Californio Landmark Restored

If you want to see a precious California landmark in the process of being saved for future generations, mark your calendar to visit the Joaquín Castro Adobe near Watsonville. … [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Californios, Daily Lives, Field Trips Tagged With: Adobes, Californios, Castro Adobe, Santa Cruz County, Watsonville

Mission San Juan Bautista Facts

By Damian Bacich

Mission San Juan Bautista (Photo by Damian Bacich)

… [Continue reading]

Filed Under: Resources

Acjachemen (Juaneño) Tribe Facts

By Damian Bacich

… [Continue reading]

Filed Under: California Indians, Native American Tribe Facts Tagged With: Acjachemem, Juaneño

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I’m Dr. Damian Bacich, and I started the California Frontier Project. Learn more about me and the project here.

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