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Written by Mark Bourgeois,
Bonita Street School, Los Angeles Unified School District in conjunction
with Dr. Priscilla Porter and Dr. Judd Grenier under the auspices of the
Center for History-Social Science Education at California State University,
Dominguez Hills
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 Standard
3: Students draw from historical and community resources to organize
the sequence of events in local history and describe how each period of
settlement left its mark on the land, in terms of:
- the explorers who visited here, the newcomers who settled here, and
the people who continue to come to the region, including the cultural
and religious traditions of the different groups
- the economies established by settlers and their influence on the present-day
economy, with emphasis on the importance of private property and entrepreneurship
- why their community was established, how individuals and families
contributed to its founding and development, and how the community has
changed over time, drawing upon primary sources (e.g., maps, photographs,
oral histories, letters, newspapers)
Sample Topic:
The newcomers who settled here; how individuals and families contributed
to the founding and development of the community and the economies established
by the settlers. The focus is on the Rancho Period.
Suggested Time : 3 weeks
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California History
Guide: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
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Using historical resources, students will describe how the Rancho period
of settlement left its mark on the development of the local community.
Teacher Background
The Mexican War for Independence began in 1810. Prior to this time, California
was under Spanish rule. Mexico took control over California in 1822, beginning
the Rancho period. The processing and exporting of cow hides and tallow
(fat used in the making of soap and candles) was the primary economic
activity of the Californios (the name given to the people living in Alta
California during this time period). This pastoral economy flourished,
especially after the new government opened the ports of Monterey and San
Diego to foreign trade. The Mexican governors began to distribute the
large tracts of land to people of influence. Ranching conditions were
almost perfect. The climate was mild enough to allow animals to live throughout
the year with little shelter. The small band of 200 cattle brought to
California by Gaspar de Portola's expedition, and the few that survived
the overland trek with Anza's party, provided the original stock from
which the local herds developed. These cattle yielded hides and tallow
in abundance for export. No widespread planting of crops occurred on the
ranchos. Additional background information is included in the text of
the lesson.
*Note: Add to the Teacher Background section to reflect a rancho located
in or near your community. An * in the text indicates areas where resources
for your community need to be inserted. The mission era is not covered
in this unit; however, this would be an appropriate time to insert the
study of a local mission.
Focus Questions
- What is a rancho?
- What did the ranchos contribute to the economic development of our
area?
- What was life like on a rancho?
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