California History
California Guide
California State
California History
California has an expansive history to its name and is divided into the Native American period, the European period, the Spanish Colonial period, the Mexican period and its statehood within the United States of America.
California History in the Native American Period
Present day California was inhabited by Native Americans for over 14,000 years. The total number of Native Americans who lived in present day California range from over 100,000 to 700,000 people.
European Explorations of California:
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Francisco de Ulloa discovered the Gulf of California and travelled to Mexico proving that Baja California was a peninsula as opposed to common beliefs that it was an island. Despite his findings, many people across Europe retained their belief that Baja California was, in fact, an island. He is the first known explorer to have used the name ‘California’.
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Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese sailor who was recorded to be the first man to walk the present day Californian soil. He landed on San Diego Bay on 28th September 1542. Here, he asserted Spanish rights over California. He further travelled to San Miguel and Pt. Reyes.
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Francis Drake was an English explorer who travelled the coast of California in 1579. His actual exact landing place is still a mystery but the place he stepped on was claimed for England. Thereafter, many European maps showed Nova Albion (the name he used to denote his place of landing) to the north of Spanish settlements.
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Sebastian Vizcaino came to the Californian coast in 1602. He travelled extensively from San Diego to Monterey Bay. He was the first known explorer to have conducted a church service on the Californian soil and sidelined Monterey as a place suitable for long time settlement.
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Later in 1778, James Cook came to California and mapped the western coast of the state up to the Bering Strait.
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The year of 1786 saw Jean-Francois de Galaup coming to California with an army of scientists and artists who made notes on various aspects of life in the state. They wrote in detail about the people, the mission systems, and the land.
The Spanish Colonial Period of California’s History:
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Since 1697, the Spaniards set up missionaries in Baja California. For them, Baja California and Alta California were combined into one administrative unit with Monterey as its capital.
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One can trace back the first European settlement in California to 1769 when Mission San Diego de Alcala was established. During that period, 21 missions were founded along the coast of the state.
The Mexican Period in California’s History:
- The First Mexican Empire took Alta California as its state after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821.
Conquest of California:
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The Mexican American war saw the invasion and seizure of California in 1846.
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The American flag was raised in Yerba Buena, which is present day San Francisco, after the onset of the Mexican American war.
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Robert F. Stockton, with additional men from John C. Fremont’s forces invaded Monterey in the month of July. After official word of onset of the war was out, the combined forces of American soldiers captured California and within a few short weeks, they were able to establish hold in San Francisco, Sacramento and Sonoma.
Acquiring Statehood:
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The US military governed California from 1847 to 1849.
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The Compromise of 1850 allowed the inclusion of California into the United States which ensured a ban on slavery within the state.
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There were quite a few changes with respect to the finalization of the state capital before Sacramento was allotted that position in 1854.
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In 1879, a new constitutional convention was put in effect that helped frame a constitution for the state of California.
History of Slavery in California:
California wasn’t new to slavery and one could find records of chattel slavery and involuntary servitude rampant in the area at the time when the place was occupied by Spanish settlements.
California Information
| State of California | |
| California Official language(s) | English |
| California Demonym | Californian |
| California Capital | Sacramento |
| California Largest city | Los Angeles |
| California Largest metro area | Greater Los Angeles |
| California Area | Ranked 3rd in the US |
| - Total | 163,696 sq mi (423,970 km2) |
| - Width | 250 miles (400 km) |
| - Length | 770 miles (1,240 km) |
| - % water | 4.7 |
| - Latitude | 32° 32′ N to 42° N |
| - Longitude | 114° 8′ W to 124° 26′ W |
| California Population | Ranked 1st in the US |
| - Total | 36,961,664 (2009 est.) 33,871,648 (2000) |
| - Density | 234.4/sq mi (90.49/km2) Ranked 11th in the US |
| - Median income | US$61,021 (9th) |
| California Elevation | |
| - Highest point | Mount Whitney 14,494 ft (4,418 m) |
| - Mean | 2,900 ft (884 m) |
| - Lowest point | Death Valley -282 ft (-86 m) |
| California Before Statehood | California Republic |
| California Admission to Union | September 9, 1850 (31st) |
| California Governor | Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) |
| California Lieutenant Governor | Abel Maldonado (R) |
| California Legislature | State Legislature |
| - Upper house | State Senate |
| - Lower house | State Assembly |
| U.S. Senators | Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D) |
| U.S. House delegation | 34 Democrats, 19 Republicans |
| California Time zone | Pacific: UTC-8/-7 |
| California Abbreviations | CA Calif. US-CA |
| California Website | http://ca.gov/ |
| California State Symbols | |
|---|---|
| California Animate Insignia | |
| California Bird(s) | California Quail |
| California Fish | Golden Trout |
| California Flower(s) | California Poppy |
| California Grass | Purple Needlegrass |
| California Insect | California Dogface Butterfly |
| California Mammal(s) | California grizzly bear (State Animal) |
| California Reptile | Desert Tortoise |
| California Tree | California Redwood |
| California Inanimate Insignia | |
| California Beverage | Wine |
| California Colors | Blue & Gold |
| California Dance | West Coast Swing |
| California Fossil | Sabre-toothed cat |
| California Gemstone | Benitoite |
| California Mineral | Native Gold |
| California Rock | Serpentine |
| California Soil | San Joaquin |
| California Song(s) | "I Love You, California" |
| California Tartan | California State Tartan |
List of Colleges and Universities in California
Federal institutions
California Graduate Institutions
- Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey
California Other Academic Institutions
- Defense Language Institute, Monterey
California State Institutions
California Two-year Institutions
- California Community Colleges system
California Four-year Institutions
California State University
| California Maritime Academy, (Vallejo) | California State University, Fresno, (Fresno) | California State University, San Marcos, (San Marcos) |
| California Polytechnic State University, (San Luis Obispo) | California State University, Fullerton, (Fullerton) | California State University, Stanislaus, (Turlock) |
| California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, (Pomona) | California State University, Long Beach, (Long Beach) | Humboldt State University, (Arcata) |
| California State University, Bakersfield, (Bakersfield) | California State University, Los Angeles, (Los Angeles) | San Diego State University, (San Diego) |
| California State University, Channel Islands, (Camarillo) | California State University, Monterey Bay, (Seaside) | San Francisco State University, San Francisco |
| California State University, Chico, (Chico) | California State University, Northridge, (Northridge) | San José State University, (San Jose) |
| California State University, Dominguez Hills, (Carson) | California State University, Sacramento, (Sacramento) | Sonoma State University, (Rohnert Park) |
| California State University, East Bay, (Hayward) | California State University, San Bernardino, (San Bernardino) | |
University of California
- University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley)
- University of California, Davis (Davis)
- University of California, Irvine (Irvine)
- University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles)
- University of California, Merced (Merced)
- University of California, Riverside (Riverside)
- University of California, San Diego (La Jolla, San Diego)
- University of California, San Francisco (San Francisco)
- University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara-Goleta)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)
California State Graduate Institutions
- California State University, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (Moss Landing)
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law (San Francisco)
- University of California, San Francisco (San Francisco)
California Private institutions
California Private liberal Arts Colleges
- Biola University
- Claremont Colleges, Claremont
- Claremont McKenna College, Claremont
- Harvey Mudd College, Claremont
- Pitzer College, Claremont
- Pomona College, Claremont
- Scripps College, Claremont
- Imago Dei College
- Menlo College
- Mills College
- Mount St. Mary's College
- Occidental College
- Point Loma Nazarene University
- St. Mary's College of California
- Thomas Aquinas College
- Westmont College
- Whittier College
- Woodbury University, Burbank
- William Jessup University, Rocklin, California
California Private Colleges and Universities
| Academy of Art University, San Francisco | Cogswell College, Sunnyvale | Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles |
| Allied American University | Concordia University Irvine, Irvine | Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena |
| American Jewish University, Los Angeles | Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, St. Helena | Pacific Union College, Angwin |
| Anaheim University | West Hills, Los Angeles, California | Pacific Western University, San Diego |
| Antioch University | Dominican University of California, San Rafael | Patten College, Oakland |
| Apollos University, Huntington Beach (Online) | Fresno Pacific University, Fresno | Pepperdine University, Malibu |
| Argosy University, Alameda, California | Golden Gate University, San Francisco | Remington College, San Diego |
| Art Center College of Design, Pasadena | Herguan University, Sunnyvale | San Francisco Institute of Architecture, Berkeley |
| The Art Institute of California - San Francisco, San Francisco | Holy Names University, Oakland | Saint Mary's College of California, Moraga |
| Azusa Pacific University, Azusa | Hope International University, Fullerton | Samuel Merritt College, Oakland |
| Bethany University, Scotts Valley | Hult International Business School, San Francisco | San Diego Christian College, El Cajon |
| Biola University, La Mirada | Humphreys College, Stockton | San Luis Rey College, Oceanside |
| Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara | John F. Kennedy University, Pleasant Hill | Santa Clara University, Santa Clara |
| California Baptist University, Riverside | John Paul the Great Catholic University, San Diego | Silicon Valley University, San Jose |
| California Coast University, Santa Ana, California | Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach | Simpson University, Redding |
| California College of the Arts, San Francisco | La Sierra University, Riverside | Soka University of America, Aliso Viejo |
| California College San Diego (CCSD), San Diego | Life Pacific College, San Dimas | Southern California Institute of Architecture, Los Angeles |
| California Institute of the Arts, Valencia | Lincoln University, Oakland | Stanford University, Stanford |
| California Institute of Technology, Pasadena | Loma Linda University, Loma Linda | Trinity International University |
| California InterContinental University, Diamond Bar | Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles | Trinity Life Bible College, Sacramento |
| California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks | Master's College, Newhall | Touro University, Vallejo |
| California National University, Northridge | Mayfield College, Palm Springs and Cathedral City | TUI University, Cypress |
| California Pacific University, Escondido | Monsbey College, Watsonville | University of La Verne, La Verne |
| California University of Management and Technology, San Jose | Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey | University of Northern California, Petaluma |
| California University of Management and Sciences, Anaheim, California [1] | National Hispanic University, San Jose | University of Redlands, Redlands |
| California Southern University, Santa Ana (online) | National University (California), San Diego | University of the Pacific, Stockton |
| Capital Bible College, Sacramento | NewSchool of Architecture and Design, San Diego | University of San Diego, San Diego |
| Chapman University, Orange | Northwestern Polytechnic University, Fremont | University of San Francisco, San Francisco |
| CapStone University, Riverside, California/Riverside | Northern Coastal College, Crescent City, California | University of Southern California, Los Angeles |
| Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles | Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont | University of West Los Angeles |
California Sports
| Club | Sport | League |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | American football | National Football League |
| San Diego Chargers | American football | National Football League |
| San Francisco 49ers | American football | National Football League |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| Oakland Athletics | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| San Diego Padres | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| San Francisco Giants | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| Golden State Warriors | Basketball | National Basketball Association |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Basketball | National Basketball Association |
| Los Angeles Lakers | Basketball | National Basketball Association |
| Sacramento Kings | Basketball | National Basketball Association |
| Anaheim Ducks | Ice hockey | National Hockey League |
| Los Angeles Kings | Ice hockey | National Hockey League |
| San Jose Sharks | Ice hockey | National Hockey League |
| Chivas USA | Soccer | Major League Soccer |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | Soccer | Major League Soccer |
| San Jose Earthquakes | Soccer | Major League Soccer |
| Los Angeles Sparks | Basketball | Women's National Basketball Association |
| Stockton Cougars | Soccer | Professional Arena Soccer League |
California Professional Sports
- National Football League
- Oakland Raiders
- San Diego Chargers
- San Francisco 49ers
- National Basketball Association
- Golden State Warriors – Based in Oakland
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Sacramento Kings
- National Hockey League
- Anaheim Ducks
- Los Angeles Kings
- San Jose Sharks
- Major League Baseball
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – based in Anaheim
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Oakland Athletics
- San Diego Padres
- San Francisco Giants
- Major League Soccer
- Chivas USA – based in Carson
- Los Angeles Galaxy – also based in Carson
- San Jose Earthquakes – based in Santa Clara
- Women's National Basketball Association
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Women's Professional Soccer
- FC Gold Pride (Bay Area) – based in Hayward
California Landmarks
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