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California

California has been shaped by tectonic plate activity and volcanic action and is a region isolated from the rest of the country. As a result, it is a region of distinctive geologic features … With a rich and unique human history of American Indians, explorers, settlers and entrepreneurs.
  • Title ID 56-CAL
  • History, American History, Agriculture, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Geology, Social Studies, American Indian Studies, Geography
  • 5 Programs
  • 14 Supplemental Files
  • 10th Grade through Post Secondary
  • Published by Ambrose Video Publishing Inc./Centre Communications
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Included Programs
Supplemental Files

Included Programs

California Geography: Coastline, Mountain Ranges and ValleysRunning time is 29 minutes

Here students study U.S. Geography, Earth Sciences, and Environmental Studies of California

Chapter List
Opening
California Geography, Northern California, Southern California tectonic plates volcanic activity, earthquakes
Oceanic Coastline
California's oceanic coastline, including magnificent haystack formations, the Farallon Islands, California's Channel Islands, inter-tidal regions and the Farallon Oceanic Plate are presented in this chapter.
Cascades and Klamath Mountain Ranges
The Klamath Mountains and the Cascade Mountains, including the California peaks Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, as well as a look at Cascade volcanoes are examined in this chapter.
California's Coastal Mountain Ranges
This chapter presents California's Coastal Mountain Ranges.
California's Mediterranean Climate
California's Mediterranean climate, including her magnificent redwood forests and Tule elk, are shown in this chapter.
Sierra Nevada Mountain Range
This chapter examines California's Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, also known as the Sierras, with emphasis on Yosemite National Park, and her monoliths - Half-Dome and El Capitan.
Transverse Mountain Ranges
California's Transverse Mountain Ranges include the San Rafael Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, Santa Monica Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, and the San Bernadino Mountains, which have interesting chaparral ecosystems.
California's Peninsular Mountain Ranges
This chapter presents the California Peninsular Mountain Ranges.
Modoc Plateau
Modoc Plateau and the Medicine Lake Volcano are presented in this chapter.
Central Valley
This chapter presents a few of California's important agricultural valleys - the Central Valley, Sacramento Valley and the San Joaquin Valley and the California's river system made up of the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River.
The Sonoma and Napa Valleys
Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley make up the California wine industry.
Salinas Valley
This chapter presents the Salinas Valley.

California Geography: Deserts, Rivers, Earthquakes, and Human GeographyRunning time is 29 minutes

Here students study U.S. Geography, Earth Sciences, and Environmental Studies of California

Chapter List
Open
California's Geography can be divided into Northern California and Southern California and is a result of tectonic plates and tectonic activity causing earthquakes and volcanic activity,
Basin and Range
Basin and Range, which includes the Great Basin area of the U.S. is rich in mineral wealth and contains the mining ghost town of Bodie, California.
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert, defined geographically by the presence of Joshua trees, contains Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park.
The Sonoran Desert:
The Sonoran Desert is the only place in the world where the saguaro cactus live.
The Colorado Desert
In the Colorado Desert lie the Salton Sea, the Imperial Dunes and the Imperial Valley which is irrigated by the All American Canal.
The Los Angeles Basin
This chapter presents the Los Angeles Basin which contains the sprawling city of Los Angeles and Hollywood.
The San Joaquin and Sacramento River System
The San Joaquin River and the Sacramento River provide water and power for San Francisco Bay area and the central Valley. for
San Francisco Bay
The San Francisco Bay is one of the great estuaries on the planet and contains three major California cities - San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.
The Colorado River
In addition to the Colorado River, which runs through the southern tip of California and contains Hoover Dam, and Parker Dam, and provides water for California irrigation, California also has the fresh water lakes, Mono Lake and, Tule Lake.
Earthquakes
California earthquakes, are a result of plate tectonics, including the Pacific Plate, North American Plate and the San Juan de Fuca Plate which affect the San Andreas Fault.
Human Geography
California's capital is Sacramento and it has three large coastal cities, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, while its Silicon Valley has spearheaded America's entry into the electronic age.

California History: The First Inhabitants to the American Civil WarRunning time is 32 minutes

Students study California History.

Chapter List
Paleo Archaic Indians
The M Modoc Plateau has superb evidence of California's Paleo Archaic Indians and Archaic Indians.
American Indian Tribes of California
California Indian Tribes entered the California Formative Period, where they formed complex civilizations; and later were visited by a Chinese Monk named Hwui Shan in 500 A.D. and later Paiute and Shoshone tribes came to the Great Basin; and much later the Spanish Mission system destroyed these cultures and left in their wake the Mission Indians.
Early Spanish Exploration
Spanish Exploration began when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed at San Diego, then 200 years later Spanish American colonies were founded in California.
Spanish Mission System in California
Spanish Mission, Alta California, also known as Upper California, was north of Baja California, and it was here that the Spanish Missions were begun by Father Junipero Serra, who founded the Alcala Mission, also known as the San Diego Mission, before setting up a series of missions along the El Camino Real, The Royal Road.
Spanish Settlement in California
California was settled with Presidios and haciendas by colonists calling themselves Californios, of whom one of the most famous was Juana Briones who founded Yerba Buena, which became. San Francisco
The Arrival of the Americans
Americans came to Alta California, or Mexican California, using the California Trail, which was dangerous and was site of one of the most infamous tragedies of the period, the Donner Party.
The Mexican American War and the California Bear Flag Revolution
The California Bear Flag Revolution during the Mexican American War created the, California Republic.
The Gold Rush
James Marshall discovered gold in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and started the California Gold Rush, which created boomtowns like Bodie, California.
Chinese Immigration
This chapter shows how Chinese Immigration led to California Chinatowns.
The Hispanic Folk Hero Joaquin Murieta
Among California Hispanics, Joaquin Murieta, was one of the most famous.
Statehood
California statehood happened in 1850.
California and the Civil War
California learned of the start of the Civil War by the Pony Express.

California History: The Wild West to the 21st CenturyRunning time is 37 minutes

Students study California History.

Chapter List
California and the Wild West
During California's Wild West, Wells Fargo was founded in San Francisco.
California and the Transcontinental Railroad
The Pacific Railroad Act authorized the Union Pacific Company and Central Pacific Company, led by Leland Stanford to build the Transcontinental Railroad; and the railroad through the Sierra Nevadas was built by Chinese Americans.
California's Indian Wars
California's Indian Wars included the Mariposa Indian War, the War for the Redwoods and war of the Modocs le by Captain Jack.
19th Century Agriculture
Aided by Chinese immigrants, 19th century California Agriculture began in the Central Valley and along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rives and would eventually lead to the California agribusiness.
Japanese Immigration
California's Japanese immigration began in the 1880s and would lead to Japanese Americans becoming major farm owners and workers in the 20th century.
Conservation to Preservation
The conservation and Preservation movements began under the direction of John Muir, Gifford Pinchot and Teddy Roosevelt and would lead to the Sierra Club, Muir Woods National Monument, and the Sierra Club.
Levi Strauss and California Manufacturing
Levi Strauss, a leading Jewish American entrepreneur, would create Blue Jeans
California Agriculture and Wineries in the 20th Century
California Agriculture includes the California Wineries located in the Sonoma Valley and the Napa Valley.
California's Movie Industry
California's movie industry would begin in Hollywood with the movies Squaw Man and Birth of a Nation.
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
This chapter examines the 1906 California earthquake.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression and the plight of the , Okies was chronicled by John Steinbeck, and later Hollywood would extend its entertainment reach into radio and television.
California and the Central Valley Project
California's irrigation canals bring water to its agricultural valleys - the Central Valley, the Salinas Valley and the Imperial Valley.
World War II and the Cold War
California industries such as Douglas Aircraft and Hughes Aircraft would be used in World War II and the Cold War.
Cesar Chavez and the Farm Workers
Cesar Chavez organized the California farm workers into the United Farm Workers to help farm workers get better wages and concessions in California agriculture.
Silicon Valley
The Santa Clara Valley, also known as Silicon Valley has towns like Palo Alto and San Jose where technology companies, such as Apple, Adobe and Cisco, created the Dot-com boom.
California in the 21st Century
In the 21st century, Los Angeles is the center of trade with and San Francisco is the financial capital of the Pacific Asian markets.

California's Climate Change ImpactsRunning time is 30 minutes

Students study California climate and global warming.

Chapter List
Open
This chapter looks at the importance of climate change to California
Introduction to Climate Change
Fossil fuels have created climate change, and as a result California is experiencing climate change impacts.
California's Terrestrial Ecosystems and Climate Change
California weather and its Mediterranean climate have helped the state develop interesting pocket ecosystems, including the redwood forests and pocket ecosystems in the Klamath Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
California's Oceanic Ecosystems and Climate Change
This chapter examines California's oceanic ecosystems, ocean warming, El Nino, and Pacific Decadal Oscillation.
Sea Level Rise
As sea level rises, California's coastline will be affected, including its beautiful salt marshes, coastal cities like San Diego, the Los Angeles Basin, San Francisco Bay, and the Bay's levees.
California's Fresh Water Problem
California fresh water, used for California agriculture through California irrigation in the Central Valley by way of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers is dependent upon the Sierras' snow level, snow pack and snow melt to fill California reservoirs, and currently the state over-drafts these resources.
Fire
California's Fire Hazard is made worse by the Santa Ana winds.
The Future
California's alternative energy industry is well positioned to provide alternative energy to the state.

Supplemental Files

Blackline Master Quiz for California Geography - Coastline Mountain Ranges and Valleys
Blackline Master Quiz for California History - FirstInhabitants to the American Civil War
Blackline Master Quiz for California's Climate Change Impacts
California Historical Timeline
California's Cascade Volcanoes
MARC Records for CAL
MARC records for the series California
Teacher's Guide - California Geography - Coastline Mountain Ranges and Valleys
Teacher's Guide - California History - The First Inabitants to the American Civil War
Teacher's Guide - California's Climate Change Impacts
Transcription for California Geography: Coastline, Mountain Ranges and Valleys
Transcription for California Geography: Deserts, Rivers, Earthquakes, and Human Geography
Transcription for California History: The First Inhabitants to the American Civil War
Transcription for California History: The Wild West to the 21st Century
Transcription for California's Climate Change Impacts