Drafted by: Marivi S. Blanco

Topic: Allen Light

Working Title of Unit: An African American Mariner in Mexican California

Duration of Unit: 5 classes

Grade: Fourth

I. Unit Goals:

Students will:

• Understand how the otter hunting trade affected the growth of communities along the California coast in the 1800s.
• Become aware of the diverse ethnic groups that migrated to and lived along the coast, specifically in San Diego.
• Learn about the internal struggles for the control of Alta California among Mexican governors.
• Discover how an African American mariner’s life in Mexico (i.e. Alta California) differed from that of African American slaves in North America.

II. Unit Standards:

(Based on the California History-Social Studies Standards)

Students will:

• Identify the early sea routes to, and European settlements in California (4.2.2, geography)
• Discuss the period of Mexican rule in California and its attributes (4.2.8, history)
• Be able to organize and express ideas clearly and in writing (basic study skills)
• Draw biographical information about an individual by examining historical documents (basic study skills)
• Demonstrate knowledge of the experience of an African-American in Mexico (cultural literacy)
• Describe and make inferences about the people living in California’s presidios and missions during the early 1800s (4.2.5, cultural literacy, economics)
• Draw connections between the Mexican War for Independence in Alta California and its effect on the lives of migrants and others who lived along the coast. (4.3.2)
• Describe the social, political and economic life and interactions among different people in the Mexican Territory of Alta California

III. Guidelines for Using this Unit

Integrating this unit with your regular lessons will be easier and more fun if you follow some of these preparatory guidelines:

• Download and read the biography of Allen Light on the SDHS website.
• Read a non-academic biography of Allen Light at www.sdhouse.com Consider visiting San Diego House in Old Town and talking with its current owner Leroy Brown who has done research on Allen Light.
• Download and read the original text of Sailor Protection paper and the original translation of Governor Alvarado’s letter to Allen Light.
• Review the list of 4 Grade Teaching Aids and decide how best to reproduce the materials for your class.
• Visit San Diego Historical Society Archives at Balboa Park for more information on the California fur trade and to read through Adele Ogden’s book The California Sea Otter Trade 1784-1848.