In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. This changed the world in ways no one could have predicted. It was the age of exploration. Every power in Europe wanted to explore the world, and find new routes to wealth. Christopher Columbus was doing the exploring that Spain paid for. Christopher Columbus was born in Italy, but worked for Spain. When he landed on the shores of a new continent, nothing would ever be the same again. Then, on June 27, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, also from Spain, landed on California shoreline. So from the East Coast to the West Coast, Spain was making their mark and searching for wealth, power and land.
This website will explore what the indigenous people of California were like before Columbus, before Cabrillo; and then after, and then today. Life can change a lot in 500 years. People can change a lot in 500 years. Five hundred years is a very long time.
However, some things never change. Death Valley hosts the people of Timbisha.... There is an underwater cavern in the middle of the hottest place on earth, with fish swimming around the same way they did 1,000 years ago. If you go looking, you will see that some things never change.
And other things, change so fast your head spins.
Use this website to learn about California, to learn about our people, to learn how change effects us all.