Designed as a supplement to standard textbooks, Chronicling California: A Primary Source Reader uses a variety of primary source materials to introduce students to California history. Through maps, photographs, newspaper articles, census materials, and more, this reader examines the unique history of California and its significance today.

Chronicling California covers the history of California from its pre-contact indigenous peoples to the present. Topics include ethnic and cultural diversity; the environment; business and urban development; labor; politics; and the contested meanings of California. With its emphasis on primary sources, Chronicling California is an excellent choice for courses on California and the American West. It can also be used in general American history surveys and high school advanced placement courses as a tool for understanding the past.