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Describing California

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Describing California
Describing California (Essay) “Critics say that California is a lie because its reality falls so short of its ideals. They are wrong. California is not a lie; it is a disappointment only because it is also a hope” James Quay. How can would you describe a place which extent over 700 of miles north and south in one word? A lie, a hope, a disappointment, different people would have different judgments. California is one of the places that could be mean different things to different people. The definition of California varies with time. To residents, it is a beautiful lovely home. To outsiders, it is the place to make believe belief on. Critics said California is a lie as its reality falls so short of its ideals. What are the ideals? Are the “ideals” the same as what Californians had in their minds? Are they the common goal of all Californians? Or is it just the dream of specific group of politics? In 1849, many people poured from outside of the state to California due to a myth. Because just Ana year ago, in 1848, a man called James Marshall claimed that he found gold, when he was digging in a stream. After one year, the story spread out. Forty-niners carried their hopes into California from all over the globe. Were Did they come with the hope of making California a better place of living or striking it rich and heading back home? For the whites, who came thousands miles away from Europe or the east coast, are they expecting multi-cultural community or nicer climate? The gold rush ended up with disappointment, not much many people found what they wanted and expected—Gold. However, some became millionaires by opening new stores just to serve those forty-niners. At that time, racism was serious. Chinese are were not liked, and the whites did not offer them jobs. They were forced to take theaccept low wages but dangerous job—railroad builder. They were suspended in wicker baskets over cliffs for a dollar a day chipping with hammer


References: 1. California Uncovered by Divakaruni, Justice, Quay (book resources) 2. Under the Dragon by Lonny Shavelson and Fred Stetterberg (book resources) 3. California by Altman (book resources) 4. California by Burgan (book resources) 5. California by Orr (book resources) 6. A History Album of California by Charles A. Wills (book resources) 7. California Dreaming by Jim Rawls (book resources) 8. http://www.ca.gov/ (internet resources) 9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California (internet resources)
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