California History - Assignment Example

All these things were pursued by the fact that one belonged to California or was precipitated by California-ism which depends upon love affairs, power, and pleasure, norms, and values of human-made empires not those that emanate from Heaven. When Starr stated that California entered history as a myth, he tried to imply that California has been seen as Shangri-la-the promised land of many pilgrims who looking for the American dream. In addition, the statement implied that California which is the second most populous state in the United States has been blessed with human diversity and natural beauty (Starr 30). More so, the State has been witnessed many events such as innovation, triumph, and discovery. For many years, California native people lived in plenty or of good topography and climate suited to human habitation.

1. How would you characterize indigenous peoples in California on the eve of European colonization? What were the similarities and differences?

            During the renaissance period, European colonization was not the only one doing good and great things. This is because societies in other parts of the world flourished. As the world turned into the 15th century, it seems that each in the world had its renaissance. Native Americans of North America were not an exception. These people had diverse languages and cultures much such as Europeans. When colonizers from Europe landed in North America, they could not have imagined the intricacy of the people they were soon to interact with. Not all Native Americans lived in peace like Europeans; the continent faced tribal conflicts that sometimes led to cultural and human destruction. European colonizers in California sought to colonize indigenous people via various means such as new labor relations, forcible relocation, and installation of the military (Starr 40).

            The native populations were not powerless in that they resisted, escaped, and changed colonial life by redefining who they were.  A similarity that manifests in these indigenous people in California is that they all resisted Europeans before they were subjected to colonialism. More so, some Californian communities such as Kiliwa and Paipai sought to maintain their own identities and self-interest by ensuring that they did not adopt European culture since it conflicted with their own culture. The difference unfolds when some native people in California who were eager for exploration desired to trade with the Europeans while others did not want to interact with them. In addition, native people that were willing to trade with Europeans collaborated with them as they shared their cultures.