The UC Santa Barbara Undergraduate Journal of History

The thesis of the paper is to highlight the evolution of California water law from native occupancy to modern times. The argument is displayed through the evolution of the San Joaquin Valley and shows how businesses from the start began formulating California water laws to benefit them disregarding what happened to co-operations and family farms. Second, the paper highlights native perspectives by showcasing how native land was seized and uncover ignored histories in the valley. The transformation of the utopian description of the valley compared to the parceled-out flat land we see today is physical evidence of the impact that agribusiness has had on the valley. Split into three parts, the first discusses native history in the area showcasing how colonization affected the valley by the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans. The second examines the gold rush and the adoption of private ownership compared to other methods of acquiring both gold and water. The third section highlights how the implication from the last section creates an arena that benefits larger businesses.