Question

The Yankee (American) whaling ships began appearing in Spanish California at an increasing rate, driven by their desire for all of the following, except:

a. good harbors to repair ships and take on fresh supplies.

b. to exchange goods from New England for local produce.

c. to engage in the lucrative sea otter fur trade.

d. to establish permanent trading posts with Spanish settlements.

Spanish control over Alta California was ended by the

a. Yuma massacre

b. death of Father Serra

c. Mexican Revolution.

d. establishment of Fort Ross.

Governor Figueroa's secularization orders stipulated that

a. half of the mission lands and livestock would be left to the Indians.

b. all of the mission land and livestock would be left to the Indians.

c. all mission cattle could be killed by the missionaries.

d. Mariano Vallejo would administer the entire program.

Under the period of rule from Mexico, all of the following are true except:

a. land grants increased in size vastly from that of the Spanish era.

b. foreigners were allowed to settle if they converted to Catholicism and took an oath

of allegiance to the Mexican government.

c. Ranchos flourished mainly through the hide and tallow trade.

d. Californios were much more loyal to Mexico City than they had been to Spain.

During the Mexican period, the real political control of society was held by

a. Mexican governors.

b. prominent ranchero families.

c. Franciscan missionaries.

d. peninsulares

By the 1820s, American trading interests primarily focused on California's:

a. sea otter pelts.

b. fur seal pelts.

c. hides and tallow.

d. wheat.

Under the period of rule from Mexico, all of the following are true except:

a. land grants increased in size vastly from that of the Spanish era.

b. foreigners were allowed to settle if they converted to Catholicism and took an oath

of allegiance to the Mexican government.

c. Ranchos flourished mainly through the hide and tallow trade.

d. Californios were much more loyal to Mexico City than they had been to Spain.

The most important political issue in California during the 1820s and 1830s was

a. the threat of a British take-over of San Francisco.

b. the establishment of schools for Californio youths.

c. the intrusion of American settlers and traders.

d. the secularization of the missions.

Vaqueros on the Ranchos included large numbers of:

a. Mexican settlers.

b. Male California Indians.

c. old Spanish peninsulares

d. American newcomers to the province

Overland migration to California from the United States was:

a. at its peak in the 1820s.

b. made easier by Hastings Emigrant Guide.

c. declining by the 1840s.

d. stimulated by reports from American traders, mountain men, and sailors.

Answer 1

Spanish and Mexican eras in California were marked by sparse land grants and ranchos establishment, which changed drastically after Mexican rule when land was given extensively to political allies. American settlers' increasing presence and the discovery of gold led to California becoming a U.S. state, accompanied by social and racial tensions.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the period of Spanish and Mexican control over California, various factors influenced the settlement and political dynamics of the region. Under Spanish rule, land grants were made to encourage settlement, but they were limited in number. The transition to Mexican governance saw a significant increase in the size and number of land grants, often given to political allies, friends, and family, which led to the proliferation of large ranchos across California. These grants were a part of a land tenure system that, post the Mexican-American War, frequently left many original landholders dispossessed of their estates.

As American interests turned westward, Manifest Destiny and geopolitical tensions spurred the increased presence of American settlers and traders in California. The Mexican government's instability in the territory led to a series of revolts and ultimately contributed to the short-lived California Republic, which was ended by John C. Fremont and American forces. Rebellions and various military strategies played a role in the evolution of political control that eventually shifted from Mexican governors and the ranchero elite to American rule.

The discovery of gold in 1848 brought a massive influx of people from various backgrounds, known as the Forty-Niners, transforming California socially, economically, and demographically. This immediate increase in population was instrumental in California's rapid admission as a U.S. state. Nonetheless, settlement and expansion were not without their darker sides, as racial tensions and discriminatory policies emerged against native populations and Mexican residents.