In the San Joaquin valley, surrounding Stockton, three tribes were predominant in the first half of the nineteenth century. The Pomo, the Modoc and the Foothill Yokuts. During the first half of the nineteenth century much warring went on and the majority of the Indian population in California was wiped out.

At approximately the time that Big Valley took place, the warring had ended, but their way of life had been destroyed. "Although many white Californians in isolated mining and ranching areas wanted nothing to do with Indians, others saw a use for them as slave or servants." Although slavery was illegal in California; several laws were passed that undermined the state's prohibition:

"In no case shall a white man be convicted of any offense upon the testimony of an Indian."

"…any indian, on the word of a white person could be declared a vagrant…he or she could be auctioned off for labor for up to four months."

Indentured servants were common place and it allowed whites to exploit the Indians for years with only minimal expense, legally, to have Indians as indentured servants.

Raiding Indian villages, for the illegal slave trade, was rampant during the 1860's and even after the Civil War.

THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

The Valley is one of the world's major cotton growing regions. They also grow tomatoes, almonds, apricots, cantaloupe, grapes, kiwi, nectarines, olives, oranges, peaches, walnuts and pistachios.

Stockton lies east of the San Joaquin river. North of Stockton is the Mokelumne and Calaveras Rivers; south is the Stanislaus River.

STOCKTON CLIMATE

The Average temperature in January is 44-48 degrees. Average July temperature is 76-84 degrees. Average annual rainfall is 20-32 inches. Rainy season is from October to April.

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