American history is a deeply woven story of new discoveries, seemingly endless frontiers and dogged perseverance. Stories of events and movements that shaped our world and helped build our country can be heard from coast to coast and everywhere in between: the Industrial Revolution that sprouted in the northeast and moved outward, tales of revolution and martyrdom in the South. However, it is to the west that we find one the most colorful and truly American sagas of sacrifice and adventure. The California gold rush holds a special place in history as being responsible for the some of the most widespread migration from across the country.
The gold rush began in 1848 when James Marshall first discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California. Rumors of the find quickly spread, and within months, the search was on. The earliest treasure seekers would become known as the “49ers”, dubbed so for the influx of people drawn to the hunt in 1849. These first 49ers were made up, for the most part, of local farmers and agriculturalists, Native Americans and Hispanic natives. This local atmosphere didn’t last long, however, once President Taft announced the find in an address to congress.
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The standards of California schools, once regarded as some of the best in the country have begun to slip in nationwide rankings, not just in comparison to past levels but also in comparison to other states in the country. To understand the reason for this decline in California schools, it’s necessary to cast an eye on what makes the golden state the richly diverse melting pot it is – it’s legions of immigrant populations.
California School Districts have a racially and ethnically diverse population; more so than in any other state and the numbers of immigrants keeps growing. This diversity is reflected in California schools. Many of the California schools have large student populations that originate from linguistic minorities, or from families that are still in the process of learning English. This fact has led to California schools being high on the national list of schools with limited fluency in the English language. Add cultural and social differences to the linguistic problem, and it isn’t surprising to find that California schools are beginning to slide down the scale.
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Long before Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California, physical fitness was at the forefront of his career. He won a succession of bodybuilding titles from 1964 to 1970. He had been named Mr. Germany and Mr. Universe by the age of twenty. Schwarzenegger brought bodybuilding to the national spotlight, when he won the Mr. Olympia title, holding it from 1970-1975 and 1980.
His acting career took off with the successful Conan the Barbarian with Schwarzenegger in the lead and chosen specifically for his perfect physique. In 1997, he was proclaimed the greatest bodybuilder of the 20th century, and the Guiness Book of World Records named him “the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world”.
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