Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californias, 1846-1890

By Leonard Pitt

Book Overview

In his enduring study of Spanish-speaking Californians--a group that includes both native-born Californians, or Californios , and immigrants from Mexico--Leonard Pitt charts one of the earliest chapters in the state's ethnic history, and, in the process, he sheds light on debates and tensions that continue to this day. In a new foreword for this edition, Ram?n A. Guti?rrez discusses the shaping and reception of the book and also views this classic work in light of recent scholarship on California and ethnic history.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520016378
• ISBN13: 9780520016378
• Release Date: March 1970
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 340 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californias, 1846-1890

Wonderful genealogical source for those with ties to the "Californios"...great reading for anyone interested in early California history as well.

Classic California - Here We Come!

Pitt's history of the decline of the Californios is an extremely important record of California's past. Few contemporary Californian's are familiar with the rugged settlers who came to this place and created a society of their own. Largely abandoned by the Spanish and then Mexican overseers, robbed by the invading Americanos, the Californios left their indelible mark upon us. their influence is subtle now, but we still live in the various "ranchos" they founded and ranched. This is a very accessible and well-written piece of scholarship. It is simple enough to qualify as a popular history, well researched enough to be taken seriously in academia.