The San Francisco call (San Francisco [Calif.]), November 3, 1912. 1912. Newspaper. Library of Congress Chronicling America. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn85066387/1912-11-03/ed-1/.
What is in a name? In the 1912 San Francisco Call article, “How California Got Its Name,” the author describes how California’s unique and varied landscapes captured the imagination of Hernán Cortés, who is widely believed to have named this land from a 16th-century Spanish romance novel Las Sergas de Esplandián in which a mythical paradisiacal island is ruled by Queen Califia. Spanish explorers and millions of people since then have seen California as one the most captivating of places. Students will embark on the origin story of California by reading parts of the Spanish novel, creating a map of California identifying some of its vast geographical and historical features, and writing their own origin story drawing from their personal connections to this state.
The Library of Congress has organized a collection of books, personal narratives, essays, and newspaper articles detailing the history of California. The San Francisco Call 1912 newspaper article (pages 1–2) gives an excellent explanation of the origin story, complete with excerpts from the Spanish novel and wonderful images of Queen Califia. The PBS website also provides a more detailed myth of the history of California’s name.
- Based on what you read in the San Francisco Call article, why do you think California was given this name?
- The author of the 1912 San Francisco Call article “How California Got Its Name” explains how Cortez named this place after a 16th-century romance novel, in which the Amazonian Queen Califia inhabited a land “very close to the side of the terrestrial paradise.” Why might the Spanish explorers name California after this myth?
- What aspects of California described in the article appeal the most to you that might seem paradisiacal?
ELA Standard
CCCS: 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
RH.6–8.10. By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Social Studies Standard
6-8 Chronological and Spatial Thinking. 3. Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems.
Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
- Ask students to explain how California got its name.
- If they need to guess, they can create a mythological story of how it became named California.
- Read the provided newspaper article (pages 1–2) from the Library of Congress and PBS historical context link explaining the origin of California’s name. Ask students how their mythological story differs or is similar to the fictional island paradise described in the 16th-century Spanish romance Las Serges de Esplandian.
- Review the provided link to Early California History: An Overview articles in the Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources for the Classroom.
- Students should list at least five interesting facts from one of the provided articles (i.e. “The First Peoples of California,” “Spanish California,” “The Missions,” etc.)
- In small groups, students should share with each other their facts in a fast-paced quiz game.
- Provide a blank map of California.
- Students mark key locations: Sacramento (capital), Los Angeles, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, and the Coast.
- They should note beside each one fact they learned about the region (e.g., industries, farming, geography, Native groups). This may require additional research.
- Research the Native Peoples of California section, which could include hundreds of Native tribes and their lifestyles.
- Students pick one tribe (e.g., Miwok, Pomo, Chumash), research their culture, and prepare a one-minute presentation or poster about their crafts, homes, or trading systems.
- Compare California in the 1850s (statehood year) to today. The link in the Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources for Classroom Options would be a helpful resource.
- Use a two-column chart:
| Topic | 1850 California | 2025 California |
Topics: population, economy, cultural diversity, environment. - Discuss how changes reflect the idea of California as a place of opportunity and transformation.
- Use a two-column chart:
- Short Response: How does California’s diversity—past and present—relate to your own community or values?
- Students write a short paragraph or draw a visual connecting aspects of California history (native heritage, immigration, innovation) to their personal experiences or community.
Library of Congress. “Early California History: An Overview.” Accessed July 31, 2025. https://www.loc.gov/collections/california-first-person-narratives/articles-and-essays/early-california-history/.