California History and Government

The U.S. has always prided itself on its diversity, but nowhere is this virtue more apparent than in California. The state is known for its multinational heritage, a mixture of European, Mexican, Native American, and Asian traditions that have melded together to form a truly unique culture. California's diversity is also reflected in its varied landscape of sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains, deserts, and forests of ancient sequoias and redwoods. The highest and lowest point in the U.S. (Mount Whitney and Death Valley, respectively) are both located in California, just 80 miles from one another. Even the cities embody the spirit of California's diversity; Los Angeles is a gleaming and modern business center, while San Francisco remains an eclectic, cosmopolitan center of culture (and counter-culture). Industries in California run the gamut from Citrus Valley to Silicon Valley, but none are more iconic than the television and movie studios of Burbank and Hollywood.

The origin of California's name is a matter of debate. Some scholars believe the name is derived from the Spanish caliente fornalia (hot furnace), in reference to California's balmy Mediterranean climate. Another theory is that California came from the Native American phrase kali forno (high mountains). But by far, the most popular and generally accepted belief is that California's name came from the novel Las Sergas de Esplandián (The Adventures of Esplandián), published in 1510. This knightly romance described the Island of California, a paradise inhabited by Amazonian women and ruled by Queen Califia. Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés sponsored three expeditions to search for this earthly paradise, convinced that the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola (with streets of paved gold and silver) resided there. From 1533 to 1535, he searched along the northwest coast of modern day Mexico. He never did find the legendary island of Amazons and riches, but he did discover the peninsula that was dubbed California. Some say Cortés named the land himself, stubbornly insisting he had discovered the mythical California. Others claim the name was applied by political rivals of Cortés, who were mocking his failed expedition.

Over the next two hundred years, Spain slowly explored and mapped out the land of California. Explorers discovered well over 70 distinct tribes of Native Americans living in the area, including the Chumash, Pomo, and Salinan. In 1579, Sir Francis Drake (who had been dispatched by Queen Elizabeth to harass and raid the Spanish galleons) discovered a port off the coast of California which he named Nova Albion and claimed in the name of England. However, nobody in England really took notice at the time and the location of Nova Albion has long since faded into obscurity.

The Spanish established a handful of missions in the area, but it wasn't until the latter part of the 18th century that other nations began to take a real interest in California. Captain James Cook led a British expedition to explore the west coast of North America in 1778, and successfully mapped the coast of California all the way to the Bering Strait. In 1786, Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse was commissioned by Louis XVI to visit California with a contingent of scientists and artists and provide an account of the Spanish mission system. The Spanish discovered small, isolated colonies of Russian furriers and whalers living in the northern region of California. The colonies of New Spain, inspired by the success of the American Revolutionary War, were beginning to grow disenfranchised with foreign rule themselves. King Charles III of Spain felt his control on the New World was slipping, but he was caught up in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War and couldn't afford to shift his priorities to the colonization efforts in California. He called for the establishment of more missions that would not only serve as supply and trading posts, but would protect and support the Franciscan monks in converting the Native Americans to Christianity (and, thus, loyal Spanish citizens).

Mexico declared its independence from Spain in 1810, sparking the Mexican War of Independence that lasted for a decade. In 1821, Spain acknowledged the sovereignty of Mexico and ceded its North American holdings to the newly formed Mexican Empire (which became the United Mexican States in 1824). The Mexican government secularized the Spanish missions, declaring that their resources should be divided among the inhabitants. Unfortunately, this order simply led to widespread looting by the generals of the Mexican army, who claimed the spoils of the missions for themselves. In 1845, following the U.S. annexation of Texas, Mexico became embroiled in the Mexican-American War with the United States. In 1846, a small group of settlers flew their Bear Flag (featuring a grizzly bear and a star) over Northern California, declaring it a republic independent of Mexico. The short-lived California Republic came to an end when Commodore John Sloat of the U.S. Navy sailed into San Francisco Bay and claimed the colony on behalf of the U.S. The war with Mexico ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, in which California (along with the rest of Mexico's North American territory) was ceded to the U.S. in exchange for $15 million.

Earlier in that same year, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, attracting prospectors from Latin America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and the U.S. California was a lawless place, technically still a part of Mexico but occupied by U.S. troops as the Mexican-American War drew to a close. By 1849, over 300,000 gold-seekers (dubbed "49ers" because of the year) had flocked to California in ships and covered wagons. The tiny community of San Francisco erupted into a boomtown, necessitating the building of roads, churches, and schools. Settlements grew into towns, and towns grew into thriving cities as the infrastructure developed to sustain the surge in population. A local government and legal system were put into place, paving the way for California's admission to the Union (as a free state) in 1850. The seat of government was moved from Monterey to San Jose, Vallejo, and Benicia before finally settling in Sacramento in 1854.

Comprising the better part of the U.S. West Coast, California is the most populous and third-largest state in the nation. While it is common to hear folks refer to Northern and Southern California, this division is vague and the boundary between the two has never been well defined. California is actually comprised of ten distinct geographical provinces.

The Klamath Mountains are a mountain range occupying northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. To the east lies the Cascade Range which extends down into the northern part of California from British Columbia. The Cascades are a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and include Mount Shasta and Shastina, both of which are dormant volcanoes. To the east of the Cascade Range, in the northeastern corner of California, lies the Modoc Plateau, formed by the lava flow of the Cascades' once active volcanoes. The plateau is home to the Modoc National Forest, the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, and the Long Bell State Game Refuge, and is inhabited by herds of mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, and wild horses.

Western California is dominated by the Coast Ranges, a series of mountain ranges that run parallel to the coast. These include the Diablo Range, which lies east of San Francisco, and the Santa Cruz Mountains to the south of San Francisco. These mountains tend to grow increasingly rainy and foggy to the north. The California Redwoods, which are the tallest trees on the planet, grow in the foggier regions of these mountains. The Sierra Nevada runs along the eastern edge of the state, providing a natural border between California and Nevada. This mountain range is home to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental U.S. Yosemite Valley lies in the central part of Sierra Nevada, as does the enormous freshwater Lake Tahoe. The Sierra is also home to the forests of giant sequoias.

Central Valley lies in the very center of California, between the Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada range. This fertile valley is watered by the mountain-fed rivers, and its rich soil and mild Mediterranean climate allow for the year-round farming of fruits and vegetables. Central Valley is divided into Sacramento Valley (to the north) and San Joaquin Valley (to the south), each of which is named for the major river that flows through it.

The Basin and Range region lies east of Sierra Nevada and extends into the state of Nevada. This series of mountains and valleys is home to Mono Lake, the oldest lake in North America. Owens Valley, which lies within this region, was once home to numerous farms, but much of the region's water was diverted to Los Angeles in the early 20th century by William Mulholland's Lost Angeles Aqueduct. The ongoing battle between the farmers in Owens Valley and the people of Los Angeles erupted into the California Water Wars. After years of litigation, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power agreed to take steps to return water to the lower Owens River. After missing two deadlines, the LADWP finally complied in 2006.

Unlike most of the other mountain ranges in California, the Transverse Ranges run east-west rather than north-south, due to a bend in the San Andreas fault. The Peninsular Ranges are the southernmost mountains in California, and run from just east of San Diego all the way to Baja California in Mexico. Included in the Peninsular Ranges is the Palomar Mountain Range, which is home to the famous Palomar Observatory.

The southernmost part of California is dominated by the Desert region. The Mojave Desert is harsh and dry, its sands constantly buffeted by the hot Santa Ana Winds. Most of the towns within the Mojave are small and relatively obscure, but Barstow has gained some notoriety because of its location on Route 66. Death Valley is on record as the lowest and hottest place on either American continent. The Colorado Desert is actually a part of the much larger Sonoran Desert, which extends down into Mexico.