Editor's Note:
"The Native history of the Mojave Desert, like much of the region itself, has been shaped by outside forces. To understand how the interior history unfolded, we need to examine the broader events and conditions that influenced it-from shifting trade routes to the pressures of colonization."
Historical Sketch of the California Indians
Copyright 1997 by Tad Beckman,
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA 91711
This sketch covers five major time periods in California history. They are the following
natural divisions: the time prior to European contact, the period of Spanish missions, the brief Mexican period, the
time from California statehood to the early 20th Century, and the contemporary scene. Some readings are suggested
at the end of each section.
Archaeologists have long theorized that the earliest humans in the American continents came here from ...
Mission Period
Throughout the 16th Century, Spain held much of the New World in its own control. After the defeat of the ...
Mexican Period
As mentioned earlier, Mexico became independent of Spain in 1821, just as the United States had become ...
Statehood
In 1836, Texas revolted against the Republic of Mexico and declared its independence. While there was strong support for ...
Contemporary Reservation
Contemporary Reservation life in its 150-year history, has never been a pleasant or secure existence. From ...
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Petroglyph
Mojave Indians
Mission San Gabriel