Chumash Revolt of 1824

The Chumash Revolt of 1824 was the largest rebellion by Native Californians against the mission system. In the revolt that swept Missions Santa Inez, Purisima Concepcion, and Santa Barbara, Chumash battled Mexican soldiers, ransacked the missions, and fled to create a new life. In this lesson, students analyze a letter written by a Catholic priest during the revolt and an interview with a Chumash woman conducted decades after to answer the question: What started the Chumash Revolt of 1824?

We developed this lesson with the support of the Educating for American Democracy (EAD) participants and in collaboration with Los Angeles Unified School District. We designed this lesson with 3rd- and 4th-grade classrooms in mind, but it is readily adaptable for use with older students. It focuses on the EAD theme of “Our Changing Landscapes” for grades 3-5 and addresses the history driving question, "Why should we learn about the history of the land we inhabit?" (HDQ2.2A). It also addresses the history guiding questions, "Who lived on the North American continent before the United States existed? What kinds of evidence helps us learn their histories?" (HSGQ2.2A). To access the other Reading Like a Historian K-5 lessons made in this collaboration, click here.