DIRECTIONS: read the passage "the city by the bay by Elane Mao" Then, use context clues from the passage to determine the meaning of two unfamiliar words. STUCK? choose 2 of these suggestions: proximity-paragraph 1; spanned-paragraph 2; obscured-paragraph 3; ceded-paragraph 4; -paragraph 5; frenzy-paragraph 6. 5 POINTS: one point for each definition, one point for each explanation, one point for proper mechanics. "One of the main defining geographical features of California is the proximity to the Pacific
Ocean, which runs along the entire length of the state’s western border. Throughout
California’s history, the Pacific Ocean has played a central role in influencing the
development of cities. Even today, all of California’s largest cities lie near the ocean: Los
Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco, in order of population size. San Francisco,
in particular, owes much of its history and development to its location on one of the
world’s greatest natural harbors, the San Francisco Bay Area. Due to its particular location,
San Francisco has become an established maritime commerce center and one of the
largest cities in the United States.��
The San Francisco Bay Area is enclosed by land on the north, east, and south sides. To the
west, there is a waterway opening to the Pacific Ocean. This waterway is known as the
Golden Gate, and it is spanned by the Golden Gate Bridge. The city of San Francisco lies
on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, which is the strip of land that encloses
part of the west side of the bay, partially separating the bay from the Pacific Ocean.
During the early period of European exploration, the coastal regions were the first areas
of California that explorers came across. This was because explorers typically sailed to the
Americas, so naturally the coastal regions were more easily accessible to them. However, San Francisco was a notable exception to this rule. Historians believe that San Francisco’s
geography and foggy weather made the bay difficult to notice. Because the entrance to
the bay was so narrow and obscured by fog most of the time, explorers failed to discover
it until a Spanish expedition accidentally came across it in 1769. They were actually
travelling north by land in an attempt to find Monterey Bay. It was a full six years later
before explorers entered the San Francisco Bay by ship.��
Initially settled by the Spanish, San Francisco was ceded to Mexico after Mexico won its
independence from Spain in 1821, and in 1848 the United Statestook control of the region
after the MexicanͲAmerican War. During the same year, the California Gold Rush was
starting. It was during this period that San Francisco was established as a maritime center
for the territory. The state saw a huge population boom as prospective miners began to
flock to the state. In 1848, 6,000 people came to California, and in 1849 at least 80,000
arrived by land or by sea. To meet the demands of the growing population, cargo ships
flooded through the Golden Gate, carrying food, tools, clothing, building material,
farmers, businessmen, and more people looking to take advantage of the gold rush. The
San Francisco Bay was designated as an official port of entry for ships bearing foreign
goods and was in a prime location for access to gold country. Between January 1848 and
December 1849, the population of the city of San Francisco grew from 1,000 to 25,000.
After the gold rush, San Francisco was the largest city in the United States west of the
Mississippi until it was overtaken by Los Angeles in 1920. However, the city continues to
support a large urban population and owes much of its success to both its history and
unique location. The city’s largest industry is tourism, due to its many landmarks and
frequent portrayal in pop culture. In particular, the city is known for its hills, the iconic
Golden Gate Bridge, and its waterfront fishing attractions (such as Fisherman’s Wharf).
San Francisco is also an important center for banking and finance—partly due to the
legacy of the California Gold Rush, which established the city as a center for commerce.
From the days of early European exploration, through the chaotic frenzy of the California
Gold Rush, and into the present day, San Francisco’s development has been influenced
greatly by its location on the San Francisco Bay." (short, make it sound like an 8th grader)
One important thing about California is its closeness to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean runs all along the western side of the state. Because of this, cities in California, like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco, are all near the ocean. San Francisco is especially influenced by its location on the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a big natural harbor. San Francisco has become an important city because of its proximity to the bay and its connection to maritime commerce.
The San Francisco Bay Area is surrounded by land on three sides and has an opening to the Pacific Ocean on the west side. This opening is called the Golden Gate and is crossed by the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco is on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, which separates part of the bay from the ocean. When European explorers first came to California, they usually arrived along the coast. However, San Francisco was different because its entrance to the bay was narrow and often hidden by thick fog. It took until 1769 for a Spanish expedition to accidentally discover it. The explorers were actually searching for Monterey Bay but found San Francisco instead. It wasn't until six years later that explorers finally entered the bay by ship.
San Francisco was originally settled by the Spanish, but it was later ceded to Mexico after Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821. In 1848, the United States took control of the region after the Mexican-American War. This was also the year when the California Gold Rush began. San Francisco became a major center for trade during this time because people flocked to the state in search of gold. The population of San Francisco grew rapidly, and the city became a port of entry for ships carrying goods and people. Between 1848 and 1849, the population of San Francisco soared from 1,000 to 25,000. Even after the gold rush, San Francisco remained one of the largest cities in the United States, but eventually, Los Angeles surpassed it in 1920. Nonetheless, San Francisco still has a large population today and owes much of its success to its history and unique location. Tourism is one of its biggest industries due to its famous landmarks, like the hilly landscape, the Golden Gate Bridge, and attractions like Fisherman's Wharf. San Francisco is also a significant hub for banking and finance because of its legacy from the gold rush.
Throughout its history, San Francisco's growth has been greatly influenced by its location on the San Francisco Bay.