Hist

Professor Schulze

HIST 1301.003

Short Paper Assignment

Albert L. Hurtado explores California’s multicultural frontier in his book Intimate Frontiers: Sex, Gender, and Culture in Old California. Hurtado believes that these topics can lead to a better understanding of the life in Old California. Hurtado considers the Anglo American movement to California and the era of what is called the “Anglo hegemony”. The migration of Anglo Americans to California greatly affected the history of Old California, as well as the social standings and treatment of women.

The California Gold Rush began in 1848 and Anglo men began to flock to California, in search of gold, throughout this time. Hurtado tells readers that “during the gold rush single men and husbands who left their wives and families dominated the stream of immigrants…bound for the gold fields, but women formed a minority segment of the moving population” (Hurtado, 55). Anglo men came to California in search of gold and the wealth to be gained. While most were single men, a small amount of men brought their wives and children. The large number of Anglos arriving at California eventually caused an era of “Anglo hegemony.” For the duration of this ear, Anglo Americans assumed that they had power over California, over all other demographics. However, Hurtado argues that “today’s Anglo Californians are less certain of their hegemony” (Hurtado, xxi). This is due to there being a great number of conflicting races and cultures in the area.

Many other races, such as, Hispanics, Mexicans, and Indians, were already residing in California and the time of the Anglo Americans’ arrival. Hurtado informs readers that “Indian and white relations were often tense, but they were infrequently violent” (Hurtado, 57). Some Anglo Americans even lived among Indians. Olive Oatman lived with the Mohave Indians as their captive. However, they did not treat her as a captive, instead treating her as a member of the tribe and even a family...