Native Americans inhabited California for millennia before the first Spanish explorers and settlers arrived in the region. They were suppressed once colonization began, both through force and via disease such as smallpox, to which they had no immunity, unlike the Europeans. The state of their civilizations before the arrival of the settlers may indicate that life in the region was comfortable and peaceful. Native American tribes never developed in the same way their European counterparts did, likely because there was no need for them to do so. California provided a comfortable and abundant environment for them to live in, suppressing the need to advance technologically to survive.
For the most part, Native Americans in California were hunter-gatherers with limited agricultural capabilities. Sapp claims that the reason was the high availability of game, fish, and plants, due to which tribes would generally only engage in limited forest gardening (51). Moreover, the climate was mild enough that the Maidu tribe could live through winters in houses dug into the ground and covered by bark and earth (Sapp 52). Overall, it was much easier to live in California than in Europe and many other regions of the world, as it combined a warm climate and high food availability.
Parallels can be drawn between Native Americans in California and Adam and Eve in Eden. Both lived a relatively easy life, not having to worry about food or shelter, and were limited in their knowledge as a result. With that said, while the Biblical pair was seduced of their own will, Native Americans often resisted the European influence, with violence common on both sides. Ultimately, once an outside force became involved, both of the groups lost their Paradise.
Reference
Sapp, Rick. Native Americans State by State. BlueRed Press, 2018.