California Public Education and the Mexican Ranchos - Looking Beyond 4th Grade

Author(s): Melinda M. Berge; Alyssa N. Cheli

Year: 2017

Summary

The Mexican Ranchos of the 18th and 19th centuries represent a niche in California history which is not often well understood by students of any age. From elementary school education to popular media, the focus in California tends to be on either the precontact Native Americans or the Spanish Missions. The Ranchos are host to a pluralistic community, including laborers, visitors, traders, owners, and overseers. Fairly representing these multiple voices can be difficult, but by presenting diverse perspectives, the Ranchos become accessible to a broader audience. Beginning with Albion Environmental's recent work at the Castro Adobe in Watsonville, California, and expanding to look at other Rancho sites under a variety of heritage management systems, we explore the successes and faults of public programs already in place, as well as suggest ideas for continued interpretation work.

Cite this Record

California Public Education and the Mexican Ranchos - Looking Beyond 4th Grade. Melinda M. Berge, Alyssa N. Cheli. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Fort Worth, TX. 2017 ( tDAR id: 435692)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 540