David Hornbeck

Land tenure and rancho expansion in Alta California, 1784–1846

Abstract Popular writers and historians have viewed the rancho as a symbol of the halcyon days of hispanic California and often have overlooked the role of rancho land grants in changing the land tenure system of Alta California during Mexican occupance. This paper views the rancho as an integral part of a land tenure system under which considerable land was granted and examines the patterns of rancho land grants to 1846. The majority of rancho grants were less than six years old at the end of Mexican rule, but they were instrumental in introducing a new land tenure system which imposed a distinct order and design on the Alta California landscape. The land policies of Mexico have been strikingly persistent; rancho boundaries still constitute a prominent part of the modern landscape of California. As a settlement institution, the rancho was more than boundaries delimiting ownership of land, it was the primary means by which resources were distributed, organized and exploited. While the granting of land in Alta California was a distinctive practice, an investigation of how this land system came about and its impact on the land adds to our understanding of tenure practices in general and in particular provides insights into the way in which cultural and economic values are impressed on the land through land ordinances.

The Submergence of a People: Migration and Occupational Structure in California, 1850

In recent years social historians have made increasing use of occupational data to obtain a better understanding of the fluidity of American society during the nineteenth century.1 This surge in popularity has improved considerably our understanding of the socioeconomic and spatial growth of the United States. While significant advances have been made in application and use of occupational data, much of the existing literature reflects a tendency to concentrate on characteristics of mobility and persistence of urban residents in eastern cities. Areas outside the eastern industrial region which have been examined from an occupational perspective are few; in fact, the Far West is noticeably absent.2 This neglect is most