DBQ #4:

The Three Most Important Things That Pat Brown Did To Improve California

Jessica Parker
LBS 375, Professor Cheek, Mon 4-6:45
November 24, 2014

Pat Brown was the thirty-second governor of California from 1959 to 1967. Pat Brown
faced extraordinary challenges during his govern ship but only to improve California. He was a

man that everybody looked up to. Pat Brown was a fighter and he fought till the very end. The
three most important things that Pat Brown did to improve California was his creation of the
State Water Project, his devotion to public higher education, and helping the disadvantaged
groups in California.
The first thing that Pat Brown did to improve California was the creation of the State
Water Project. The State Water Project is a water storage and delivery system of reservoirs,
aqueducts, power plants and pumping plants. Its main purpose is to store water and distribute it
to 29 urban and agricultural water suppliers in Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area,
The San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast and Southern California. Pat Browns drive to build
the Water Project is a reflection of his political style. This project tested his leadership ability
based on voters, federal government, and voters. The State Water Project is still being used today
and just as effective. If it wasnt for Pat Brown, our water system would not be the same.
The second thing that Pat Brown did to improve California was his devotion to public
higher education. Pat Brown created the Master Plan for Education. This master plan created
a system that combined quality with broad access for students, it transformed a collection of
uncoordinated and competing colleges and universities into a coherent system, and encouraged
each of the three public higher education segments to concentrate on its own kind of excellence.
Clark Kerr stated that the goal of the master plan was to balance the competing demands of
fostering excellence and guaranteeing educational access to all.[7] Pat Brown was fully
dedicated to better the education system. He is the reason for what we have today.
Lastly, the final thing that Pat Brown did to improve California was his dedication to help
the disadvantaged groups in California. The needs of disadvantaged groups were of special
concern to Pat Brown. He decided to secure an increase in spending for social welfare.

Expenditures on welfare programs rose from $647 million in 1962 to $752 million in 1964. This
included aid for families with dependent children, old-age security, medical assistance for the
elderly and disabled individuals. But Pat Brown did not stop there. s also established an
antipoverty program for racial minorities. He brought more minority citizens into the state
government, promoted a youth corps, and created a community work program to provide welfare
recipients training in the development of new skills. Pat Brown cared for everybody in the
community. He tried his very best to make sure every citizen of California had a chance to grow.
Pat Brown made California a better place.
In conclusion, Pat Brown was responsible for the improvement of modern California. He
had such an enormous impact on California that California would not be the same today if it
wasnt for him. His devotions to the State Water Project, higher education, and the
disadvantaged groups in California have made California a better place. Pat Brown had such a
great work ethic and would never give up on anything. The people of California thank Pat Brown
for all of his accomplishments.

Bibliography
Schiesl, Martin. "Pat Brown: The Making of a Reformer." January 1, 2003. Accessed November
24, 2014.