This paper aims to explore the extraordinary physical features of the Golden State, California. The Golden State is defined as, “a state on the W coast of the US: the third largest state in area and the largest in population; consists of a narrow, warm coastal plain rising to the Coast Range, deserts in the south, the fertile central valleys of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in the east; major industries include the growing of citrus fruits and grapes, fishing, oil production, electronics, information technology, and films” (California). The state of California not only has a large population, it contains a variety of features that makes the state very diverse. These features vary from trees, mountains, National Parks, Coast Ranges, Valleys, deserts, basins, earthquakes and a diverse climate. In the next pages we will describe and show why these features makes the Golden State one of a kind.
California has a variety amount of National Parks. Each park has distinctive features that make them unique. California is Yosemite National Park is well known for its fantastic, “hiking, rafting, fishing and wildlife watching, not to mention being a mecca for big-wall rock climbing.” During the summer, the park is visited by a lot of tourism, but during the winter it converts, “into a quiet snowy paradise." Back in the day, “Yosemite's granite wonderland was carved by massive glaciers around three million years ago, when ice covered all but the highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada” (Morton). This park is a place where in the summer it is full of life and joy because families go up there and do activities together. Yosemite is a place where people can go and relax to forget about stress of the d...
... middle of paper ...
...ral Native American tribes, including the Miwok, Yokut, Wintun, Maidu, and Monache were supplied with roots, seeds, nuts and berries, deer, rabbit, salmon and other fish from the region.” Indians were supplied by the Central Valley with food for them to survive. Native Americans in a way left us with the foundation on how to keep the food production from not declining in California. In the same article provided by CUESA it states that, “Today, the San Joaquin Valley grows cotton, grapes, olives, potatoes, stone fruit, Asian vegetables, nuts, citrus, and berries. Out of the Sacramento Valley come rice, beans, row crops, fruits, cattle, corn, and grapes. Innovations in irrigation, mechanization, labor structure, plant breeding, and inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers, as well as two major water projects (state and federal) have enabled this intensification.”
In the video, “America Revealed: Food Machine,” the host, Yul Kwon, investigated the modern American agricultural industry, with an emphasis upon the contrasts between contemporary farming and the American farming of previous generations. At the start of the program, Mr. Kwon discusses the route of a pizza delivery person in New York City, and he describes the origins of the ingredients of the pizza. To do this, the host travels to California’s Central Valley, a region that was once a desert, but is now the breadbasket of the United States. In this valley, thirteen million tomatoes are grown per year as well as fifty percent of the country’s fruits and nuts. Water is the most expensive resource in this region, as it must travel many miles from
Roughly thirty-eight million people live in the state of California. (U.S. Census Bureau, www.quickfacts.census.org) Imagine the various types of people to meet. California is the home to many ethnicities and cultures. Its high population hits on all types of groups of people, leaving no one out. From hardworking business men and women, to the laid back beach dwellers, California accepts everyone. The state is home to singers, actors, doctors, beach goers, snowy mountain inhibiters, and much more. Although Florida is known for its beautiful boardwalks, it is only home to nineteen million Americans. (U.S. Census Bureau, www.quickfacts.census.org) The state is not home to as many people as California; it is not home to various groups of people either. Florida does not offer a place to live for those who enjoy big forests and windy mountains. Florida is the land of pesky resort owners and beach-bums. In comparison, Florida is not as diverse, and is much smaller in population size.
“To discover, understand, and encounter the cultures and intricate natures of the California Indian people, it is necessary to search the past” –Nancy Wahl. Tracing back in California history, Spanish explorers, commanded by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, found the tip of what is now Baja California in the year 1533 and named it "California" after a mythical island in a popular Spanish novel. It is evident that from the time Spanish monarchs set foot in California, the world as Native Americans knew it was never the same again. The late 1700s initiated and marked the colonization of Spaniards in the “Golden State” which in turn provoked the massive persecution and extermination of Native American population as well as the disappearance of Native heritage and culture. As a result, the recurring despairs and adversities of the Indian population began.
Enticingly, the Spanish homesteaders came to this land with a passionate objective to develop the land and extract its natural resources for their profit. To this day, the Spanish's activities on this land has brought success and has propagated California to be the leading role in the advancement of new technologies and the creation of motion pictures. Notwithstanding of having this recognition, people seldom discuss on the origin of the land. When the Spanish came, the Indian are the occupants of the area; governing the land and surviving through the natural resources. As history is portrayed by the victor, the destiny of the right proprietor of the land has dependably been untold. Their once serene time has ceased to proceed as the Spanish
Many people spend their whole lives trying to make money and become rich. One imagines a lifestyle where they do not have to work to provide for their families and they can enjoy the finer things in life. Some may go to great lengths to find this source of richness, even if this involves packing up and moving far away. Many people found a way to make this dream of being rich a reality on January 24, 1848. While constructing a sawmill for John Sutter, James W. Marshall discovered gold in the American River. Many people flocked to California in search of the golden treasure and to follow their dream. This was the start of the California Gold Rush. The California Gold Rush was an important part of the history of the United States; it helped to settle the western United States, increased the economy of California, and negatively impacted the Native Americans living in the west.
In Douglas Monroy’s essay “The Creation and Re-creation of California Society,” the thesis is that studying history of California is not just about changes in state’s political concerns but is more about relation with human existence. First, he talks about land and liberty and how Californians settled at the landscape. Second, Douglas explains about the life in present day California. Last, he talks about Californios and Indios. Douglas Monroy’s purpose in writing this essay is to inform readers of how California and the inhabitants were in the 1800s by showing detailed life style.
There have been many discoveries that have shaped our nation as a whole. Discoveries have allowed our country to thrive and become one of the most powerful nations in the world. When we look back at our nation's rich history, it is clear to see that there was one discovery in particular that had a vast impact on the United States; the discovery was gold in California. It was in this vastly unoccupied territory that the American dream was forever changed and California emerged as a powerful state busting at the seams. The California Gold Rush shaped California into the state that it is today. California is defined by its promise of entrepreneurial success and its acceptance and encouragement of obtaining the American Dream.
From reading the author’s book “Ecology of Fear,” Mike Davis’ main thesis for writing this book was to make readers become aware of the underlying problems and threats which have existed or currently exist in Southern California and how these problems shape the way we live today and in the imminent future as well. Although Davis did not really provide us with any remedies for the problems facing Southern California, this book made it very clear to the readers that problems do still exist, although at times they may sound subtle in nature. Of the numerous problems which do exist in Southern California, I will discuss only a handful of the problems that Davis provided us insight to. In the following paragraphs, the main problems of Southern California that I will discuss about are suburbanization and how it made Southern California lose its natural beauty and the effects of overdevelopment, the wild fires which occur and similarities and differences the rich and poor communities faced in terms of adversity, how suburbanization brought people closer to the wildlife, and how numerous books and movies portrayed Los Angeles as the center for calamities. The culmination of all these problems clearly shows that there are many glaring weaknesses of Southern California that need to be closely examined.
Every year, over nine million hikers and adventure seekers travel to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park making it the most visited national park in the United States. There are abundant reasons for this, but many popular reasons include over 150 hiking trails extending over 850 miles, a large portion of the Appalachian Trail, sightseeing, fishing, horseback riding, and bicycling. The park houses roughly ten thousand species of plants and animals with an estimated 90,000 undocumented species likely possible to be present. It is clear why there was a pressing interest in making all this land into a national park. My research was started by asking the question; how did the transformation of tourism due to the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park affect surrounding cities such as Gatlinburg and Sevier County, and in return, its effect on the popularity of the park?
Choosing a vacation destination can be difficult. When deciding a destination there are many things to consider. Two of the most important considerations are the climate, and activities that are available. California is one of the top destinations for many people. California is also known as the “Sunshine State”. The beautiful state has many things to offer for families, couples, and singles. The top places that are visited in Southern California include many amusements and popular site seeing. A few top places are Disneyland, San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Hollywood Boulevard, and Catalina Island. These are a few of the top attractions in Southern California. Ultimately where you choose to visit will be a personal choice.
Smith-Baranzini, Marlene, Richard J. Orsi, and James J. Rawls. A Golden State: Mining And Economic Development In Gold Rush California. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1999. eBook (EBSCOhost). Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
California, the Golden State, a place where people from around the world come to for the
California is full of beauty, a beauty that is constantly glamourized, and falsely advertised. There is a constant battle against the stereotypes presented in the media, which have created a false image of this massive state. The media presents an insufficient amount of information about California that impedes the outsiders to fully understand the beauty of this state. The media focuses on the tourist attractions of California, like, beaches, Los Angeles, Hollywood, and San Francisco. Although these attractions are appealing, the spotlight should also highlight the impoverished cities, the cultural and geographical diversity. The diversity here in California is clearly visible, which is something that is not clearly seen all over the United
Rawls, James J., and Walton Bean. California: An Interpretive History. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1968. Print.
The California Wine Industry is a 34.6 billion dollar industry, which has a long-standing and influential history, since its first vineyard planted at Mission San Diego to today’s well-known wine countries of Napa and Sonoma Valley’s. These famously known Valleys have brought an estimated total of 2.94 million tourists in 2012 (The Napa Valley). Furthermore, in this paper I will be discussing the finding of California that led to its first plantation of a vineyard, to its expansion throughout California’s Valleys from the impact of the California Gold Rush. In addition, I will also discuss the many hurtles that the California Wine Industry has endured such as: the infestation of a insect called Phylloxera, as well as, the impact of the prohibition era on the industry. Finally, I conclude the topic with the importance that migrant workers had on the industry, along with today’s economic importance that the wine industry has brought to California.