The Californios: A History, 1769-1890

by Hunt Janin, Ursula Carlson

Before the Gold Rush of 1848-1858, Alta (Upper) California was an isolated cattle frontier--and home to a colorful group of Spanish-speaking, non-indigenous people known as Californios. Profiting from the forced labor of large numbers of local Indians, they carved out an almost feudal way of life, raising cattle along the California coast and valleys. Visitors described them as a good-looking, vibrant, improvident people. Many traces of their culture remain in California.

Yet their prosperity rested entirely on undisputed ownership of large ranches. As they lost control of these in the wake of the Mexican War, they lost their high status and many were reduced to subsistence-level jobs or fell into abject poverty. Drawing on firsthand contemporary accounts, the authors chronicle the rise and fall of Californio men and women.

Genres: History

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2017

Reviews

[Joshua Rigsby · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of anecdotes. Presented in a kind of haphazard fashion. I would prefer a bit more narrative and analysis inter-splicing the stories. This felt a bit like an encyclopedia somewhat randomly collected on different aspects of life and the era. Not bad overall, however.