History of California

"History of California" by Helen Elliott Bandini is a detailed story about California’s past, starting from when Native Americans lived there, moving through the time when Spanish missions were built, and including the exciting Gold Rush days, up to more recent times. It highlights the growth of different businesses and is written in a way that's easy for both kids and adults to read, especially those who want to learn about California. The book begins by explaining where the name "California" comes from and describing the land itself, as well as mentioning an old Spanish story that calls California an island and it then tells about explorers like Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and Sir Francis Drake, and how they learned about California’s coast. Through the experiences of Native American children named Cleeta and Gesnip, the book shows what life was like for the original people of California before Europeans arrived.