Darley, Felix Octavius Carr, and Henry Bryan Hall. Emigrants crossing the plains / F.O.C. Darley, fecit ; H.B. Hall, Jr. sc. c. 1869. Print. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/93506240/.
Californians each hold a unique reason for moving to and living in California. As we begin the 250th (semiquincentennial) anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, students will reflect on their story for moving to California, beginning with viewing a painting of emigrants crossing the plains, reading diary entries and letters from a gold prospector in 1850, comparing their own journey to those of earlier emigrants, and sharing their story through various mediums. The purpose of these activities is to respond to the question, What does America mean to me? and how each of our stories contributes to the American experience.
The image “Emigrants Crossing the Plains” illustrates a typical oxen-led covered wagon train of pioneers inspired to move west in search of land and economic opportunities. The California Migration History website shows the migration from 1850–2022. It explains that not until did 2010 native-born Californians outnumber the number of those who had migrated from somewhere else.
Source: https://depts.washington.edu/moving1/California.shtml
- What images stand out in this painting, and what emotions do they evoke?
- Why do you believe people migrate to California?
- Why did your family move to California?
- Does your purpose for living in California still hold true today?
ELA Standard
CCCS: 6-8th Grade Reading: Literacy in History/Social Studies
RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Social Studies Standard
6-8 Historical Interpretation. 2. Students understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations.
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.
- Display the image “Emigrants Crossing the Plains.” Ask students to consider the following questions:
- What hardships does this image suggest? What might it leave out?
- How did journeys like this shape American identity and national myths?
- Using the interactive California Migration History (1850–2010) website, plot major migration trends (Gold Rush, Dust Bowl migration, post‑WWII) on a classroom timeline.
- In pairs, students research one migration wave and discuss: What pushed people to move? What drew them to California?
- Assign students short passages (1–2 pages) from Abbey’s journal (found in the Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources for Classroom Options).
- Students highlight or annotate:
- hardships or dangers described
- emotions and tone
- references to geography or Indigenous peoples
- Students write a “postcard home” as if they were on the journey with Abbey.
- Must describe one event, include emotions, and mention something they see or do.
- Include a quick sketch or symbol (e.g., wagon wheel, mountain pass).
- Option: In small groups, students create a short dramatic skit inspired by an entry from Abbey’s journal.
- Must show a conflict or surprise during the journey (e.g., wagon breakdown, river crossing).
- Include lines from the journal and historically accurate dialogue.
- Create a Venn diagram comparing historical reasons and experiences of people moving to and living in California with students’ personal reasons and experiences moving to and living in California.
- Option: Turn this into a podcast or act out a performance.
- Design a poster commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through the lens of California’s unique migration history.
- Include symbols (e.g., the bear flag, covered wagons, tribal art, gold pans) and a motto representing inclusion, freedom, and community.
Abbey, James. California. A trip across the plains, in the spring of 1850, being a daily record of incidents of the trip ... and containing valuable information to emigrants… 1933. Printed material. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/33009652/.