Abstract This paper presents a brief history of the Native Americans of California, focusing on their struggles with colonizing Europeans and their eventual loss of land and civil rights. The paper traces the history of Native Americans in the US back to their arrival in North America from Asia. Next the author describes their settlement and cultures in North America, and California specifically. The paper highlights the arrival of Europeans to Californian, describing the Native American's subsequent loss of loss of land, culture and autonomy. Special attention is paid to the effects of reservations on the Native American population.
Outline:
California Indians
Population Decline of California Indian
Figure-1: Native California [Census 2000]
Figure-2: Native California Population [Census 2000]
Indian Plight since Columbian Period
Paper includes maps and charts.
From the Paper "This exploitation continued well into the twentieth century and displacement of Native Indian from reserves continued with little or no compensation until the early twentieth century. The enlightened society of the twentieth century began to apply the laws which have been on the statutes for centuries to all Americans. Discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion and sex can not be legally justified anymore. This important factor now provides legal rights and new protection to Native Indians. "
Abstract This paper presents an essay that explores the concept of the California dream, as discussed in the book, "California Dreams and Realities". The essay touches upon the impact of immigration, the environment, education, economics, the entertainment industry, and the automobile industry on the California Dream.
From the Paper "In "California Dreams and Realities", editors Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon maintain that California is neither the sun-drenched land of glitter and glamour that many outsiders imagine when they think of the Golden State nor is it the war zone that has recently captured the national imagination. In a state where the one constant of life is change the California Dream is part myth, part reality and typically something in between for those who inhabit the Golden State. From a review of the essays in..."
Tags: Steinbeck, Fitzgerald, pollution, University of California, Hollywood, inequality, Silicon Valley, politics, corruption, water
Abstract This paper discusses the relationship between California Instruments, Inc. and the US Army. In particular, it focuses on the orders placed by the US Army to this company and how this has affected California Instrument's business and profits. The paper traces the history of the two company's relationship and the major players in the dealings. Also described is how California Instruments managed to pull together the deal, locating equipment and determining costs and prices.
From the Paper " The person put in charge by the Army was Dave Freeburg. He was accountable for the success of this procedure in due time. The Army had chosen CI due to the fact that they had previous experience and they also possessed the equipment required to accomplish the task. On behalf of CI, Henry Davis was the person assigned to take care of the order. His main tasks were to see to the fulfillment of the design specification, to create a Bill of Materials (BOM) and to elaborate the response to RFP. In two weeks time, David succeeded to draw up a draft of the proposal. "
Abstract This paper is an analysis of the California Proposition known as Proposition 187. Prop. 187 is about the status of illegal aliens in terms of health care and other social benefits. This paper is broken down into sections that provide the history of the Proposition, an analysis, a complete description and a conclusion.
Abstract This paper looks at the causes of the California energy crisis that occurred in 2000-2001 following the deregulation of the state's electrical utilities. The paper discusses the arguments cited in favor of deregulation, what the deregulation entailed for the electrical utilities, and what this meant in terms of the major heat wave that hit in the summer of 2000. Also discussed is the flawed reasoning behind the arguments for deregulation, which ultimately caused the bankruptcy of the California electrical utilities.
From the Paper "The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) which used to set the consumer electricity rates in the state, itself declared the system of energy regulation in California as "fragmented, outdated, arcane and unjustifiably complex," and opened the state's electricity industry to competition in December 1995. After the unanimous passing of the deregulation legislation by both houses of the state, it was signed into law by the Governor in September 1996. California thus became the first state in the U.S. to deregulate its electricity industry. The three major Californian utilities, Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric are said to have spent $4.3 million on lobbyists and $1 million on political campaigns in their efforts to encourage deregulation."
Abstract This paper analyzes the housing market in California and discusses whether it is overvalued. The paper looks at additional costs associated with purchasing a home and concludes that housing prices in California are high and spiraling upward.
Abstract This paper is a personal experience creative paper written about a girl's trip to California. A section of the paper compares different areas of the trip to other areas. For instance, the Garden of the Gods is compared to other mountains. California and the Pacific Ocean are compared to the Lake Lakes around Minnesota. The paper also describes different malls and shopping places.
From the Paper "Imagine driving from Minnesota to California. Minnesota is one of the most beautiful places to live with many outdoor activities including many old-growth forests that are at least 120 years old. Leaving my home and moving to California was quite an experience. Comparing Minnesota to California is like comparing cold to warm or rain to snow. For instance, the average annual snowfall in Minnesota varies from 36 inches in the southwest to 70 inches near Lake Superior. The trip to California was an experience that changed my views about my mother and also about what I expected California to be like. The trip formed precious memories of different locations we went through including Las Vegas, the Rocky Mountains and Costa Mesa, California. After graduating from Lapeer East High School, my mother and I prepared for our trip to California."
Abstract This paper reviews the laws passed in California regarding campaign finance reform, the intended purpose of those laws and the results they have had on campaign finance.
From the Paper "The current campaign finance system at the federal, state and local level undermines our democracy. Every day brings new revelations about wealthy contributors buying political access and favors. Voters are frustrated with a system in which their voices are drowned out by special interests. The governments of the United States - whether Washington, Sacramento at the state or, local city hall - must be accountable to the people as a whole."
Abstract This paper discusses the history and development of Santa Cruz, California from 1769 to 1960. The paper identifies key historical events and looks at how the demographics of the region changed during that time period.
Abstract This paper explains that even the acquisition of Alta California from the Spaniards changed little the agrarian social and economic structure of "Southern" California; but the discovery of gold in "Northern" California brought new settlers, creating large cities, altering the agrarian way of life of the people and separating the northern culture from that of "Southern" California. The author points out the perpetually controversial importance of water as determined by two conflicting legal doctrines, the doctrine of riparian rights, signifying that the owners of land not contiguous to a stream had no rights to the water, and the second the doctrine of "prior appropriation", giving the first user of water the unrestrained right to divert it from the stream and to sell this right to others. The paper relates that, though growth in "Southern" California started slowly, it was enhanced by various land booms over the rest of the 19th century and into the 20th century and set the stage for rapid growth in industry and commerce, including the film industry.
From the Paper "The prevailing economic form was a system of land tenure, from which the ranchos evolved. This system was based on an ancient principle of Spanish law, which saw the king as owner in fee simple of all the colonial possessions in the New World. This was the Latin encomienda system. The settlement of the region was conducted by use of presidios, missions and pueblos, each founded on a land grant from the crown."
This paper discusses the history, from the period of the Gold Rush to the present, and problems faced by immigrants, seeking the California Golden Dream.
Abstract This paper explains that, for many years, people considered California to be the ideal home because there were many opportunities for them to improve their living; therefore, since the Gold Rush era, many immigrants have come to California with the dream of making a fortune but they have had a difficult time achieving the California Golden Dream. The author discusses problems of competition for jobs, a high cost of living and assimilation into American culture in the Gold Rush era and today. The paper concludes that, today, people may pay more attention to their freedoms than they did in the Gold Rush era, but the basic problems still remain the same; nonetheless, California is still an ideal home for the immigrants.
From the Paper "In the Gold Rush era, because people came from different countries, they arranged to live together in the camp based on their ethnicity. That prevented cross-culture communications, which may have helped them get along with each other. On the other hand, in today's California, immigrants still do not have too many chances to interact with the outside world, because they still tend to get along with people of the same culture. Chinatown, Japan town, and Russia town...such kinds of places get favors from the immigrants. Once they arrive, most of them prefer to live in those places and build a life inside the towns. My parents are members of such a group of people. They live in China own and work in Chinatown. And also they are afraid to talk with people from other cultures, especially the English speakers. Therefore, they lost the connection with mainstream society and may have missed chances to make their dreams come true."
Abstract A study of the laws in New York and California, specifically their sex crime laws, shows that underneath the diverse shells, at the heart these two states are very similar. The paper shows that a shift in public opinion over the past several decades has brought a new version of regulations in both states and both New York and California have had to review what they once considered crimes. On top of this, grassroots organizations like Parents for Megan's Law - an influential group of parents intent on keeping their neighborhoods safe via registration of dangerous sex offenders - have forced legislatures to assess the anomie inherent in a growing society, and what effect it has on recidivism rates. The paper shows that the end result is a conglomeration of laws that marry restrictive with permissive, and gives New York and California top prize conjointly for forward thinking in the United States. Nonetheless, laws on the books in New York show a decidedly more restrictive bent, whereas California's laws lean toward the permissive, and the results are telling for which method is most effective.
From the Paper "California had a head start over most of the United States in applying the spirit of Megan's Law to the sex offenders. Since 1944, California has made it compulsory for sex offenders to register their whereabouts with the state. As the state's population has grown and the community has become more transient, a lack of concrete normalcy in behavior has caused California to revisit its laws to include more deviant and unsettling conduct. One of the biggest adjustments to the laws already implemented was an internet presence intended to provide its residents with as easy, effective way to ferret out potential dangers in their neighborhoods. But according to the Office of the Attorney General of California, about one-quarter of convicted sex offenders are not listed there."
Abstract The paper defines the Hispanic population in California and analyzes their growth, racial identity and English proficiency. The paper looks at the ability of the Hispanic population to integrate into the United States through geographical stability, language diversification and economic strength. The paper highlights the need for educational improvement in order to maintain and support this large economic labor force in California. The paper concludes that this demographic will play a large socioeconomic and political role in the future of California.
Outline:
Introduction
Defining the Hispanic population
Are Hispanics a Minority in California?
Hispanics as a Staple Citizen
Racial Identity among Latinos
English Proficiency
Hispanic Education
Conclusion
From the Paper "There is an intrinsic difficulty in defining the Hispanic due to the numerous stereotypes evolved from such trends as migrant seasonal workers and illegal immigrations. The most widely used and accepted terms are "Hispanic" or "Latino" (Ramos 14). The term Hispanic is normally applied to all those citizens who are Spanish-speaking and have a historical and cultural heritage or lineage linked to Spain. Latino refers to people originating or having a cultural heritage from Central and Latin America. This is important to note the difference between both classes, as it can become confusing and cumbersome in data analysis. Latino does not necessarily imply Spanish background and linkages, instead encompasses numerous languages derived from Latin e.g. Spanish, French, and Portuguese, which are commonly found to be spoken in some context in many Latin American nations (Ramos 15)."
Abstract This paper explains that Ryan S. King and Marc Mauer's article 'Aging Behind Bars: "Three Strikes" Seven Years Later' in "The Sentencing Project" was written in hopes of rehabilitating the California "Three Strikes" system and as a warning to other jurisdictions considering promulgating similar legislation. The author then points out that the goal of Linda S. Beres and Thomas D. Griffith's article "Did "Three Strikes" Cause The Recent Drop In California Crime? An Analysis Of The California Attorney General's Report" in "Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review" is to convince government officials to spend more time and effort analyzing crime and its remedies, and less time and effort on politicizing the issue. Furthermore, the paper relates that, in his article "Prison Overcrowding: Harmful Consequences and Dysfunctional Reactions", Professor Craig Haney of the University of California, Santa Cruz, emphasizes that prison has a profound effect on prisoners who subsequently carry those effects into society after their release from prison."
From the Paper "The authors also assert that the Attorney General's claim that the "dramatic drop in the crime rate" occurred after the passage of Three Strikes is misguided and that crime actually began to significantly decline a year before Three Strikes. Beres and Griffith further allege that an alternative explanation for the recent drop in crime is the improving California and moreover that many factors influence crime rate. The authors assert that it is difficult to prove a direct link between the economy and crime rates, nonetheless, "evidence of a connection between economic opportunity and the crime rate is particularly important in light of the deterioration of the market for unskilled labor during the past two decades."
