Contested Eden: California Before the Gold Rush (California History Sesquicentennial Series) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0520212738 ISBN 13: 9780520212732

Publisher: University of California Press, 1998

Synopsis

Celebrating the 150th birthday of the state of California offers the opportunity to reexamine the founding of modern California, from the earliest days through the Gold Rush and up to 1870. In this four-volume series, published in association with the California Historical Society, leading scholars offer a contemporary perspective on such issues as the evolution of a distinctive California culture, the interaction between people and the natural environment, the ways in which California's development affected the United States and the world, and the legacy of cultural and ethnic diversity in the state.

California before the Gold Rush, the first California Sesquicentennial volume, combines topics of interest to scholars and general readers alike. The essays investigate traditional historical subjects and also explore such areas as environmental science, women's history, and Indian history. Authored by distinguished scholars in their respective fields, each essay contains excellent summary bibliographies of leading works on pertinent topics. This volume also features an extraordinary full-color photographic essay on the artistic record of the conquest of California by Europeans, as well as over seventy black-and-white photographs, some never before published.

About this title

Review

As the first of a projected four-volume collection that will portray the complete history of California, Contested Eden contains a dozen essays ranging from prehistory to 1848. Because it is often common to think of California's history as beginning with the Gold Rush, this text provides a welcome look at the rich background of the most populous state. It is sure to be of interest both to academic and novice historians. Contested Eden begins with an examination of California's natural history, and proceeds in a roughly chronological fashion through the Indian settlements, the conquest by Spain, the incursions of Russian traders, the settlers who came overland from the United States, and the role of California in the war between the U.S. and Mexico. Other essays tackle themes such as cultural conflicts and gender roles. On occasion the writing lapses into academic jargon, but for the most part the pieces are lucid and highly informative.

About the Author

Ramón A. Gutiérrez is Professor of Ethnic Studies and History at the University of California, San Diego. Richard J. Orsi is Professor of History at California State University, Hayward, and editor of the journal California History.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0520212738
• ISBN 13: 9780520212732
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 395
• Editor: Gutiérrez Ramón A., Orsi Richard J.