National California Day – February 22, 2025

History of National California Day

California is a beauty that adorns the western landmass of the beautiful U.S., with shimmering beaches washed by the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Nevada deserts in the east. Its north is graced by occasional prairies, marshes, and other wetlands bordering Oregon, and finally, the Mexican borders to the south. California is a land of geographical diversity, blessed with seashores, forests, deserts, valleys, coastal mountain ranges, and a thriving agricultural landmass. The state has a rich history divided into five major periods.

Native American culture has strong roots in California. The Native American period started about 10,000 years ago and ended with European explorations in the 1500s. Before the European age, California held about one-third of the total population of Native Americans. The Spanish explorers named California. Settlements grew over time, and the land of California welcomed them all. Between 1769 and 1821, the Spanish colonized California. But the colonization efforts were faced with many difficulties. The lack of an organized agricultural tradition, the absence of organized tribes, and the difficulty of procuring food supplies and domestic animals made it difficult. The isolation of California did not help at all in the process. In 1821, Mexico obtained independence from Spain, and California became a part of the new nation.

In the following decades, California witnessed the war between Mexico and America. The end of the war also witnessed California becoming a state in America. Congress passed the California statehood act on September 9, 1850. The following years saw the Gold Rush and large-scale settlements in California filled with dreams of gold and riches. In the following years, California became an important state, and it still is today.