Presidio Park, once known as Presidio Hill is one of California's historical landmarks that is situated in the heart of early San Diego, Old Town. Locals and tourists come every year to this buried ruin of early San Diego, to experience and learn about California history. It was once inhabited over one thousand years ago by the indigenous Tipai-Kumeyaay. It was later then seized and taken over by Spanish colonizers in the late 1760’s when they established the first fort, residences, and a mission church on Presidio Hill. Truth be told, many locals or tourists do not know the significance of many historical landmarks in California. As previously stated, the first fort, residences, and small church established during Spanish colonization in Presidio Park were the first European settlement in Alta California. …show more content…
Historians may have already known this but the average person would not.
Presidio Park served as a key factor that influenced the development of early California and is very significant to San Diego we currently live in. In fact, the Junipero Serra Museum, built by George W. Marston in Presidio Park is often erroneously confused with the Mission San Diego de Alcala, which is only a small portion of the history of Presidio Park. The impact Presidio Park has had on San Diego’s culture and community is that influenced the beginning of California History through the different ways it served as a hill, it's the opening of western culture through the critical efforts visionary city leaders took to preserve Presidio Hill, as well as an epicenter of education through the establishment of first Spanish mission church in California is what has shaped current San
Diego. The beginning of Presidio Hill history all begins with the Native American use of Presidio Hill. The Tipai-Kumeyaay used Presidio hill and held control of the land from 1000AD to 1749 and before we begin, I will discuss why Presidio Hill was an ideal location for the Tipai-Kumeyaay people. The geographic location of Presidio Hill consisted of an isolated flat-topped hill, five-hundred feet deep with two-thousand feet wide steep sides, which developed from the San Diego River. Mud and debris would flow into the open ocean waters by the San Diego River and it caused a delta from Point Loma to the mainland, which sequestered Mission bay from San Diego. As a result of all of this, a flat area suitable for civilization was formed at the base of Presidio hill and the Tipai Kumeyaay took advantage of it (Luksic and Kendziorski). Over one thousand years ago, the land of California was inhabited by Native American tribes and it happens so that the Kumeyaay people were situated at the base of Presidio Hill. According to Viejas band of Kumeyaay, the Kumeyaay were the original, Yuman-speaking native inhabitants of San Diego county. The Kumeyaay is still an active tribe and now has split into 12 bands across east county. Presidio Park is an important site to the Kumeyaay because they were the first to settle in the site and throughout history when other settlers came to California, they were ripped off their land, subjugated and suffered many casualties to their population. At Presidio Hill, the Kumeyaay village consisted of small groups or tribelets of Tipai-Kumeyaay people. These tribelets each ranged from ten to thirty square miles and each held control of the area. The Tipai-Kumeyaay main use for the land was for subsistence and they managed to do that by distributing food by trading. They utilized a sophisticated form of agriculture technique called slash and burn which allowed them to produce more food (Luksic and kendziorski). As time progress, while the Tipai-Kumeyaay maintained their village, it was not until 1542 that European explorers started to come to California and a few hundred years later that the Spanish would seize the land. The first appearance of European settlers in California occurred in 1542, with European explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. Under the Spanish Empire, Cabrillo led the first expedition to explore along the upper coast of Alta California, sailed into the area known as San Diego Bay and named it San Miguel. Few years later after Cabrillo discovery, Spanish explorer by the name of Sebastian Vizcaino came and renamed the area San Diego de Alcala in 1602. Things dramatically change however shortly after Spain entered the Seven Years War in 1762 alongside with France. Spain suffered major losses in territory due to the Peace of Paris and had to reevaluate their strategies for colonization. Establishments of settlement in Alta and Baja California were ordered by the crown of Spain to provide a protection from foreign countries and their lack of knowledge of North American land led to their decision to expand northward. As they moved North, the Spanish would seized occupied land and their goal was to convert the indigenous population to the Catholic faith in an effort to control them, provide protection and to sustain Spanish territory. In addition, widespread of Europeans diseases weakened their ability to rebel and were successful in bringing them under subordination. (Luksic and Kendziorski; National Park Service). The day the “Sacred Expedition of 1769” arrived in San Diego, marked the birthplace of Catholicism in California. “On July 16, 1769, Father Junipero Serra, planted a cross on Presidio Hill and said mass, dedicating the mission and presidio to San Diego de Alcala” (Luksic and kendziorski). From this point and on, construction of settlement began on presidio hill and Father Serra had a major influence on the colonization of Alta California. Missions were an important aspect of the Spanish way of colonizing territory and these were the first settlement of western civilization. These settlements served as a foundation of California and influenced further developments as we see today. Once Presidio hill was secured, Father Serra moved the mission six miles northeast in 1774 in an effort to take advantage over productive land; it provided a reliable source of water and land for their agricultural practices.
Within the state of Colorado lies a well know national park, which is known for its breathtaking geologic features and history of ancient civilizations. This site of interest is known as Mesa Verde National Park. In the Spanish language, Mesa Verde means green table. This park serves a medium for the protection of the thousands of well-known archeological sites that lie within it. Many of these preserved sites served as a home for its inhabitants, the Ancestral Pueblo people, over a thousand years ago. It is estimated that this was most likely around AD 600 to about 1300.
When asked to write about an important activist who has demonstrated protest, I immediately drifted towards a Hispanic and/or feminist activist. Various names came across my mind initially such as Cesar Chavez and Joan Baez but as a later discussion in class concluded, there are numerous others who are rarely highlighted for their activism and struggles, which lead to me researching more. In my research I came across Dolores Huerta, an American labor leader and civil rights activist, who I felt was an underdog and brushed over activist in the Hispanic community.
In the shadow of a cliff wall within Chaco Canyon rests the ruins of Pueblo Bonito, the most famous of the towns and settlements built by the Anasazi over 900 years ago. From tree-ring dating, it is known that a period of severe drought swept through the Chaco area in AD 1150, causing the site to be abandoned. After it was rediscovered in 1849 by U.S. Army soldiers, the site was severely vandalized for seventy years until it was made a national monument in 1907. In 1920, the National Geographic Society began a thorough reconstruction of this once great, and still impressive, site (Chaco Canyon, 1982-2015). Between its construction and its abandonment, Pueblo Bonito was a complex and important locality for the people who poured so much time
The revolutionary war of the United States of America was a time of many important battles fought in the name of freedom and independence from Great Britain, the greatest military power of the world at the time. One of these famous battles that took part of the history of the American Revolution is known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. Taking place on the night of June 16, 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill was a battle that resulted in an American loss of the battle, but also hurt the British Army significantly and boosted the American rebels’ morale during the Revolution. The battle took place in Charleston, Massachusetts, specifically on the Charleston Peninsula, which was home to Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill and had a vital oversight of the Boston Harbor, the most important harbor in the Americas at the time.
The crowd moves quietly to the seats. The area is silent except with the click of the guard’s shoes. The relief commander walks out and announces The Changing of the Guard ceremony is about to commence; as he is talking, a new guard walks out ready to take the place of the guard on duty. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier contains three men: a testament to all of the unknown fallen soldiers. The tomb continues to honor these soldiers through the ceremonies and symbolism behind the guards’ movements.
It is a sad comparison to the past John Muir, who first documented Yosemite Valley, to today’s reality. The condition of Yosemite National Park should be introduced to the American public in order to protect its historic beauty and significance, eliminate current pollution, and prevent future repercussions. In
The battle of Saratoga was a significant turning point in the American Revolutionary War. This key conflict was, in fact, two significant battles that shaped America’s struggle for independence. The battles were fought 18 days apart in the same location - 9 miles south of Saratoga, New York. John Burgoyne, the British General, had an initial strategy to divide New England from the southern colonies. This was at first successful when the British took Pennsylvania, but hit a snag when Burgoyne met the Continental Army at Freeman’s Farm on September 19, 1777 - the first of the Saratoga battles. This was a tactical victory for the British, but it came at a price, as their casualties were heavy. It was known that the British won this Battle at Freeman’s Farm, but in actuality, they didn’t have many troops left. On October 7, in the Battle of Bemis Heights, the second Battle of Saratoga, Britain attacked America again as Burgoyne took the offensive. The troops crashed together south of the town of Saratoga, and Burgoyne's army was broken and his command captured. At this battle, the Americans were able to capture a large number of British troops, ultimately resulting in Burgoyne’s surrender on October 17, 1777. The Battle of Saratoga is well known to be “one of the most important victories of the conflict and an early success for the colonists.” The victory gave new life to the American cause at a critical time. Americans had just suffered a major setback at the Battle of Brandywine. They had also received news of the fall of Philadelphia to the British. Significantly with the success at Saratoga, France gained the confidence to enter the war as an American ally. The Battle of Saratoga was a war-altering conflict between the America...
Yosemite a plagiarism of the garden of Eden, in the first place Yosemite was inhabited by native Indians, Awahneechee tribe who called the land Awahnee “ place of a gaping mouth”. The “white man” came and took the land from the Awahneechee burning down any Indian homes found, after the destruction of the Awahneechee tribe the “white man” before leaving the park decided to name the land. Yosemite, thought to be the name of the tribe that inhabited the land, the industrialists, only interested in making money and violence, thought that driving out the native Indians from the land would prove an effective idea. The destruction of the Awahneechee Indians would give the men free roam of the land with no native interference, also giving free treatment of the land to their will. the name Yosemite in native tongue means “people who should be feared” meaning “they are killers”. A few years after the group of “Mariposa Battalion” left another group of “white men” came, but they were not armed for violence, but were tourists (The National Park: America‘s Best Idea). The industrialists raping the land, not simply picking flowers from the meadow, destruction, a literal hell in paradise. The only thing they have interest in was their on selfish wants, the land, the money, the irresistible hunger for power. Man has always been eager to make his way to the top, not caring who he brings down, steps on, humiliates, or even ruins. Man a beast, extremely hard to control like a mad bull in a china shop destroying everything in its path, only receiving the circumstances at a later date. Man has always been tricked, whether by human or beast it always ends the same way, with disaster.
A tragic event is difficult to endure, but it can be one that helps a nation in the long run. The event can bring light to a bigger issue, or it can be the final straw before conflict arises. Emmett Till was a fourteen year-old boy, black boy that was brutally murdered by two white men in Mississippi in 1955. The murder of Emmett Till was a shocking event that made the country stronger because it brought both African-Americans and whites in the fight for equality.
Kennedy’s New Frontier Program As the President elect of the United States in 1960, John F. Kennedy aspired, to accomplish much during his presidency. Kennedy confidently called his initiatives “The New Frontier” taking on numerous major challenges. Some of the challenges were boosting the United States economy by ending a recession and promoting growth in the economy, aiding third world countries by establishing the Peace Corps sending men and women overseas to assist developing countries in meeting their own necessities. Additional challenges were too built-up the United States National Defense and furthered the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) programs.
2. Cherny, Robert W., Gretchen Lemke-Santangelo, and Richard Griswold Del Castillo. Competing Visions: A History of California. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, 2014. Print.
‘The Laramie Project’ is a play written by Moises Kaufman about the murder of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard. It was interesting to see the outrage that this caused. The murder of Shepard was considered a hate crime and I agree with this. I can see the hostility that this murder caused because of the amount of questions it left. The scary thing is that we live in a culture where hate crimes exist. This murder was a reminder to the country that being “different” is something that people do not accept. This put “hate” crimes on the map and made people realize how serious hatred was. Being yourself can cause you to become murdered because someone else doesn’t agree with who you are. Hate crimes are a serious problem and Shepard was killed because he was homosexual. His murderers hated gays and that is the only reason a college student was murdered. A few observations I have that came out of this play was prejudice and the culture of hate.
At the Miss California, USA seminar we were directed in how to apply makeup the correct way for stage lighting and also we had a number of evening gowns modeled so that we could know what is acceptable. We also had numerous swimsuits modeled for us by other delegates who I will be competing with. The person in charge of the USA pageant organization is Carolee Munger from San Luis Obispo, CA. She taught us how to present ourselves in the presence of our judges and also how to reach for our highest goals. The seminar was eight and a half hours long. It included learning, speaking skills, self confidence, and personal rights as an individual. We also had the privilege of listening to a well known psychologist speak to us about pageantry and how important it is know yourself and the goals you would like to achieve in life. Questions such as, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" have definitely given a new thought to what I would like to do for the rest of my life. I learned how to act self confident even in situations where you don't feel comfortable. I also learned that knowing how to make a grand entrance instead of a grand exit will give you a special presence.
Monuments give people that have accomplished a significant thing credibility in what they have done. In many cases those people have done something heroic and extraordinary to achieve a monument in their name and honor. If you were to do something heroic and special wouldn’t you want to get a monument granted in your honor? Sometimes monuments aren’t just to honor those who have done something, but maybe someone who had passed away. Maybe they died in a tragic accident and their family wanted to honor their life in a memorable way. Monuments are extremely valuable and important in our nation. The Fort Amanda Park located right here in Lima, Ohio has a significant historic past. During the 1812 war, General William Harrison called most of the
and the importance of their history. It is the first monument to be added to the National Park