- Paper back
- 11 x 0.3 x 8.5 inches
- 9 years and up
- 144 pages
The story of California is the story of dreamers—explorers, gold miners, immigrants, ranchers, moviemakers, farmers, and everyday Americans who headed west for a fresh start. The first native inhabitants arrived 9,000 years ago, ancestors of the tribes who would greet the Spanish in the 1700s. Father Junípero Serra later established a chain of missions along the coast, expanding European and Mexican influence. But when gold was discovered in 1848, the rush was on, and two short years later California became a state. After the gold ran out, other rushes followed, from agriculture to industry, Hollywood to Silicon Valley.
California History for Kids includes a time line of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and Web resources for further study. And to get a better idea of the scope of California history and the lives of its citizens, readers can:
* create a Chumash rock painting
* play the Miwok Hoop-and-Pole game
* bake and eat hardtack like a gold miner
* design a cattle brand
* decode a railroad cipher
* immortalize their handprints in plaster
* assemble an earthquake preparedness kit
* and more