San Francisco History
From Gothpoodle
Contents |
Native Period (pre-1776)
The Yelamu indian tribe occupied the area in small villages along the peninsula. Much of the area was marsh, dune scrub, and grasslands, the latter supporting deer and elk. The charactistic fog caused initial European explorers to miss the bay entirely.
Spanish Period (1776-1822)
The Presidio de San Francisco and Mission San Francisco de Assisi were established during a colonization drive to prevent British and Russian occupation of the west coast. The goal of the settlement was to enslave and control the native population, guard the frontier, and act as a focus for further colonization. Five other missions, four pueblos, and many ranchos were founded in the area after this initial settlement. The local environment was changed by the introduction of cattle and sheep as well as the cutting down of the few trees for use in building. The village of Yerba Buena, which would one day be downtown San Francisco, was the site of a small settlement of English, Russian, and other European fur traders, explorers, and settlers.
Mexican Period (1822-1847)
The Mexican Revolution didn't have great effect on the settlement other than to lead to the abandonment of the Presidio by Mexican forces, who moved north to Sonoma. With the population of local native tribes dwindling due to disease and poverty, other tribes from the area were brought into the missions, freeing up their land for ranching and destroying their distinct cultures. American forces moved in during their war with Mexico and were formally ceded the territory two years later by treaty.
Barbary Coast (1847-1906)
U.S. naval forces claimed the area in January of 1847 and renamed the settlement San Francisco. The California gold rush occurred just a year later and San Francisco went from a village to a city in the course of a year. Growing pains included extreme lawlessness, massive fires destroying large parts of the city, a cholera epidemic, an outbreak of bubonic plague, and intense racial tension leading to riots and eventually legislation restricting Chinese immigration. During this period, the waterfront was referred to as the Barbary Coast, a reference to the pirates and slavers of North Africa.
Reconstruction (1906-1950)
Around 80% of the city was destroyed during the Earthquake of 1906 and the fire that burned for several days afterwards. The newly-rebuilt city left behind much of the corruption, violence, and other troubles of its difficult first half-century. The Panama-Pacific Exposition was held a decade later and the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge were build in the 30s. During World War II, San Francisco was the major mainland supply point and port of embarkation for the war in the Pacific.
Counterculture (1950-1980)
Gay soldiers settling in San Francisco after the Second World War led to the growth of the city's ubiquitous gay culture. At the same time, countercultural movements began to take hold here, first in the form of the Beat Generation and latter with hippies and political activism. San Francisco and Berkeley across the bay began to be the focal point for radicalism and social experimentation. Fringe religious movements, political and social experiments, and sexual exploration were the hallmarks of the new era.
Decline (1980-1990)
Idealism eventually gave way to the realities of disease, drug addiction, and homelessness. The rise of AIDS devastated the gay population of the city while urban problems threatened the unique character of the city with the intrusion of freeways and skyscrapers. A national trend towards conservatism dampened the liberal spirit of the city and much of the focus on making a better world was shifted towards making sure hard-won ground wasn't lost. Many former idealists betrayed their values to persue economic prosperity in the age of greed. Finally, the Loma Prieta earthquake caused significant damage and loss of life to the region.
Dot-Com Boom (1990-2000)
The city began to prosper anew with the rise of the Internet. The influx of money and talented young technologists led to a revitalization of the area and gentrification of many areas formerly fallen into despair. The economic focus on young innovators also dispelled somewhat the older generations conservatism and many of the borderline and fringe communities that flourished in the city moved into the mainstream (or at least out of the closet). With computers, BDSM, and organic food the hot new fetishes, San Francisco saw itself moved back onto the cutting-edge of liberal cultural. So while San Jose (the self-proclaimed capital of Silicon Valley) had surpassed it to become the most populous city in the region, it was still the most influential.
Present (post-2000)
When the boom went bust, San Francisco was hard hit. Tens of thousands of people left the city in a few short years and once bustling areas were abandoned. However, the rise of religious conservatism has allowed the city to take a firm stand for liberal values and the hot issue of gay marriage is tailor-made for it to stand against the tide. However, it still struggles with the problems of the last few decades. Homelessness is still an issue and the drive towards Manhattanization has won some victories.
