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San Francisco, the City by the Bay
Elaine Mao
Article from readworks.org
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
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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 1848the United States took
control of the region after the Mexican-American 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 modern day, San Francisco’s development has been
influenced greatly by its location on the San Francisco Bay.
Name: Date: _______________________
1. San Francisco owes much of its history and development to what?
A its location by the San Francisco Bay
B the Golden Gate Bridge
C its foggy weather
D its depiction in pop culture
2. The cause of California’s population growth between 1848 and 1849 was the
California Gold Rush. What was a direct effect of the population growth?
A Some people made a fortune mining gold.
B Tourism became San Francisco’s largest industry.
C Cargo ships carrying goods flocked to San Francisco.
D The Golden Gate Bridge was constructed.
3. San Francisco was discovered accidentally. What evidence from the passage
supports this conclusion?
A San Francisco’s geography and foggy weather likely made the bay
difficult to notice.
B A Spanish expedition discovered San Francisco while looking for
Monterey Bay.
C Explorers entered the San Francisco Bay by ship six years after it was
discovered.
D The first regions of California discovered by Europeans were the coastal
areas.
4. Based on the passage, what is a likely reason why San Francisco was traded
between countries so frequently?
A It was a spiritually important site to many cultures.
B The area was not considered very valuable or profitable.
C Many wars were fought in and around San Francisco.
D It was considered an important and advantageous location.
5. What is this passage mostly about?
A San Francisco’s history and development
B how the Spanish discovered San Francisco
C San Francisco’s economic importance
D the largest city in California
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Questions: San Francisco, the City by the Bay
6. Read the following sentences: “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.”
As used in this sentence, what does the verb “span” mean?
A to go under something
B to circle around something
C to cross over something
D to drop something
7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
San Francisco is a popular tourist destination and is known for many landmarks,
___________ its hills, its waterfront fishing attractions, and the Golden Gate
Bridge.
A ultimately
B particularly
C although
D in conclusion
8. Why do historians think that explorers failed to discover the San Francisco
Bay until a land expedition came across it in 1769?
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Questions: San Francisco, the City by the Bay
9. Explain how the San Francisco Bay Area changed during the California Gold
Rush.
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10. Explain how San Francisco’s geography and location affected its
development.
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Teacher Guide & Answers: San Francisco, the City by the Bay