The California Frontier Project

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Native Americans of Southern California: the Kumeyaay

By Damian Bacich

The Kumeyaay are indigenous people who live on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, in southwestern California and northwestern Baja California. They traditionally spoke languages related to each other, and many were connected to Mission San Diego de Alcalá. The Kumeyaay Name In times past, because the Kumeyaay were spread over such a large territory that […]

Filed Under: California Indians, Native Americans Tagged With: Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, Kumeyaay, Mission San Diego de Alcala, Portolá, San Diego

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 the voyage, he and his men disembarked at several points and made direct […]

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

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.

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

Soldiers and Presidios in Alta California (with video)

By Damian Bacich

Who were the soldiers that came to Alta California? What was their life like? What were the presidios and what was their role on the frontier?

Filed Under: European Settlements, Soldiers and Presidios, Spanish Exploration and Colonization Tagged With: Anza, leatherjacket, Military, Monterey, Presidios, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, solados de cuera, Soldiers, Sonoma

Mission San Antonio de Pala: Why You Need to Visit

By Damian Bacich

San Antonio de Pala, founded in 1816 as an asistencia (branch) of San Luis Rey, is a living Native American community and an important destination on your next visit to San Diego.

Filed Under: California Indians, Field Trips, Spanish Missions Tagged With: California, California Indians (Standard 1), Luiseño, Native Americans, Pablo Tac, Peyri, San Diego

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

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