California

1769

Spanish Missions Begin

1769

Spanish Missions Begin

Beginning in 1769, Spanish missionaries established a chain of missions stretching along t...

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1848

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

1848

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ended the Mexican-American War and transf...

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1849

California Gold Rush

1849

California Gold Rush

The discovery of gold near Sutter's Mill in 1848 sparked one of the largest mass migration...

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1850

California Statehood

1850

California Statehood

On September 9, 1850, California was admitted to the Union as the 31st state. Its rapid po...

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1906

San Francisco Earthquake

1906

San Francisco Earthquake

In April 1906, a massive earthquake struck San Francisco and triggered fires that burned f...

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1913

Los Angeles Aqueduct

1913

Los Angeles Aqueduct

The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 brought water from the Owens Valley acr...

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1937

Golden Gate Bridge

1937

Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge opened in May 1937 after four years of construction over one of the...

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1940s

Hollywood Wartime Era

1940s

Hollywood Wartime Era

During World War II, Hollywood's studios and talent threw themselves into the war effort,...

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1960s

Silicon Valley Growth

1960s

Silicon Valley Growth

Through the 1960s and beyond, a cluster of technology companies and research institutions...

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Modern Era

Technology and Entertainment

Modern Era

Technology and Entertainment

Today, California is the entertainment capital of the world and a global leader in technol...

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