Gastil, Section IV: California's Mexican Rancho Era, 1822-1848

Note: I wrote these questions so that people can answer them generally based on the section intro.
People who read particular documents will be able to answer the related questions more in depth.
Based on your reading, would you say Californians were closely connected to the events of the
Mexican Revolution? What did it mean to them? (126-127; Selection 1)
Comment: In the 1830's and 1840's the lifestyle of the Spanish speaking people in California centered
on huge ranches. (126)
Why is Augustias de la Guerra an especially valuable source on the Rancho era? What sort of bias does
she have? How is the date of the interview a relevant factor? (126; Selection 2)
Compare the perspectives of Doa de la Guerra and Eulalia Prez , the old woman in Section III.
Why is the account of a Mexican government official especially interesting in regard to the missions?
Do you find it strange that this official was friends with one of the Fathers? (126-127; Selection 3)
What do the cattle drives tell us about the landscape and lifestyle of the era? (127; Selection 4)
What do you find most interesting or distinctive about the Rancho lifestyle...
Adobe architecture? (Selection 5)
The roles of women and their beautiful dresses? (Selection 6)
Dancing and festivals? (Selection 7)
Cooking? (Selection 8)
Do you think it is likely that a writer from Massachusetts could capture the lifestyle of the Rancho era?
Why do you suppose Helen Hunt Jackson's novel, Ramona, was a big success? (128; Selection 9)
What role did the Russians play the California in the 1800s? How do Russian observations add to our
understanding of the area? (128-129; Selection 10)
Why were Mexicans concerned about Anglo Americans coming to California in the 1840s?
How were the new immigrants generally different than earlier immigrants? (129; Selection 11)
In what ways is Antonio Coronel not typical of people in the Rancho era? Why is he an especially
valuable source? (129-130; Selection 12)
How does Coronel's perspective compare with that of de la Guerra? Can you see why we chose to
begin the Section with de la Guerra and close it with Coronel? (130)
Which of these documents do you think best capture the essence of the era? Do you think the era had a
lasting impact on our state, or is it just an interesting piece of the past?

How were most American immigrants to California in the 1840s different from Americans who had
come in an earlier era? (88-89)
Explain how California took key steps to join the world economy in the Mexican era. (89)

The Duarte Ranch, Los Angeles County, as it would be in the early 1800s.
Paintings by Joseph Holbrook based on research.

The Mexican Empire in 1821. In 1823 Mexico became a republic. (After Mexico became a republic,
the five states of Central America chose to form their own country).

Outfits of the Californios, shown today at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Courtyard at Casa de Estudillo at Old Town. Built in 1827, it was restored in 1910 and 1968.

The architecture of the Californios gives you a clue to their lifestyle.

Inside Casa de Estudillo, Old Town State Historic Park