Library of Congress
Loc: Westward Expansion: Links to the Past
Learners use documents from California As I Saw It: First Person Narratives, 1849-1900, in American Memory to create a script depicting the motivations, expectations, fears, and realizations of immigrants who settled California between...
Library of Congress
Loc: Learning Page: Primary Source Set Dust Bowl Migration
Set of primary documents, photos, audio and sheet music having to do with the movement of homeless families during the Great Depression. Teaching guide included.
Library of Congress
Loc: Teachers: Journeys West
A series of lessons utilizing primary texts, including narratives, photographs, and maps, through which young scholars explore the following question: "What motivated thousands of people to journey west during the 1800s?"
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Vmcsf: San Francisco Earthquakes
This resource provides a list of links to information related to earthquake damage and effects in the California area.
CRW Flags
Flags of the World: Clickable Map of the United States
Includes both printable images and fascinating trivia behind the flag of each state. It includes alternate flags used in the past.
History Tools
History Tools: John O'sullivan Coins the Phrase Manifest Destiny 1845 [Pdf]
What was "manifest destiny"? In this excerpt, learn the role race played in American expansionism and the proposed addition of Texas to the United States.
Other
American Journeys: Relation of the Voyage of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
A brief relating of the life of Juan Rodriguez and the Cabrillo expedition, 1542-1543, up the coast of California.
Other
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco: De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park
Resource is the homepage for the de Young Museum, one of the two Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Includes information about the museum, its collections, and exhibitions, and resources for educators wanting to take their students to...
Other
Seasonal Chef: Preserving Fruits and Vegetables
Instructions for preserving fruits and vegetables.
CNN
Cnn: The Reagan Years: A Second Act in Politics
Part of a cnn.com in-depth special "The Reagan years", this site follows Reagan's evolution from Hollywood movie star to governor of California.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1844 1877: The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 acted as a band-aid over the growing wound of sectional divide.
Digital History
Digital History: Impact of the Mexican Revolution
Seee how Mexico's independence from Spain affected not only the Mexicans who lived in California, but also the native population, and the white Americans.
Digital History
Digital History: Spanish America
Read about Spanish influence in the northern part of its empire in America. See what American cowboys borrowed from the vaqueros, and how Spanish architecture came to spread across the Southwest.
Social Security Administration
Social Security Online: Upton Sinclair
The Social Security Administration profiles the political career of author Upton Sinclair and his unsuccessful run as a progressive candidate for governor of California in 1934. He proposed a plan for California similar to what became...
Oakland Museum of California
Gold Rush: California on the Eve Californios
This resource presents information about the Spanish influence in California before the Gold Rush.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Pacific Ring of Fire
Wikipedia offers information on the location of the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Map included.
Other
California Museum: Discover: Fun With Crafts: State Symbols of California
Instructions and templates for creating the state symbols of California out of paper and other easy-to-find materials.
Other
Ailello Studios: The Land of Glittering Dreams
Learn some interesting facts about the California Gold Rush through images, personal stories and other writings.
Other
California State Capitol Museum: Kids Zone: California State Word Searches
Explore California while solving these fun word searches on a variety of subjects.
Other
California State Capitol Museum: Kids Zone: Coloring Pages: State Fish [Pdf]
Have some fun being creative while coloring in the golden trout fish which is native only to California.
Other
California State Capitol Museum: Kids Zone: Coloring Pages: State Reptile [Pdf]
Printable page to color and get useful information on the desert tortoise, which is the official State Reptile of California.
Other
Ca State Capitol Museum: Kids Zone: Coloring Pages: State Marine Mammal [Pdf]
Printable page for coloring and to find useful information on the California gray whale which was named the official State Marine Mammal in 1975.
Other
California State Capitol Museum: Kids Zone: Coloring Pages: State Seal [Pdf]
Printable page for coloring and to learn useful information about the official California State Seal.