Although
California was sighted by Spanish navigator Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
in 1542, its first Spanish mission (at San Diego) was not established until 1769.
California became a U.S. territory in 1847 when Mexico surrendered it to John
C. Frémont. On Jan. 24, 1848, James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's
Mill, starting the California Gold Rush and bringing settlers to the state in
large numbers. By1964, California had surpassed New York to become the most populous
state. One reason for this may be that more immigrants settle in California than
any other state—more than one-third of the nation's total in 1994. Asians
and Pacific Islanders led the influx.
Leading
industries include agriculture, manufacturing (transportation equipment, machinery,
and electronic equipment), biotechnology, aerospace-defense, and tourism. Principal
natural resources include timber, petroleum, cement, and natural gas.
Death
Valley, in the southeast, is 282 ft below sea level, the lowest point in the nation.
Mt. Whitney (14,491 ft) is the highest point in the contiguous 48 states. Lassen
Peak is one of two active U.S. volcanoes outside of Alaska and Hawaii; its last
eruptions were recorded in 1917.
Other
points of interest include Yosemite National Park, Disneyland, Hollywood, the
Golden Gate Bridge, Sequoia National Park, San Simeon State Park, and Point Reyes
National Seashore.
Coming!
See
more on California: Encyclopedia: California Encyclopedia: Geography Encyclopedia:
Economy Encyclopedia: Government Encyclopedia: History Monthly Temperature
Extremes
Accredited
Colleges and Universities
Selected
famous natives and residents:
Gertrude Atherton author; David Belasco
playwright and producer; Shirley Temple Black actress, ambassador; Dave
Brubeck musician; Luther Burbank horticulturalist; Julia Child chef; Joe
DiMaggio baseball player; James H. Doolittle air force general; Isadora
Duncan dancer; John Frémont explorer; Robert Frost poet; Henry
George economist; Richard “Pancho” Gonzales tennis player; George
E. Hale astronomer; Bret Harte writer; William Randolph Hearst publisher;
Sidney Howard playwright; Collis Potter Huntington financier; Helen
Hunt Jackson writer; Robinson Jeffers poet; Anthony M. Kennedy jurist;
Jack London author; James W. Marshall first discovered gold; Aimee
Semple McPherson evangelist; Marilyn Monroe actress; John Muir naturalist;
Richard M. Nixon president; Isamu Noguchi sculptor; Frank Norris novelist;
Kathleen Norris novelist; George S. Patton, Jr. general; Robert Redford
actor; Sally K. Ride astronaut; William Saroyan author; Junípero
Serra missionary; Upton Sinclair novelist; Leland Stanford railroad magnate;
Lincoln Steffens journalist, author; John Steinbeck author; Adlai
Stevenson statesman; Johann Sutter pioneer; Michael Tilson Thomas conductor;
Earl Warren jurist.
Capital:
Sacramento
State
abbreviation/Postal code: Calif./CA
Governor:
Arnold Schwarzenegger,1 R (to Jan. 2007)
Lieut.
Governor: Cruz M. Bustamante, D (to Jan. 2007)
Senators:
Barbara Boxer, D (to Jan. 2011); Dianne Feinstein, D (to Jan. 2007)
U.S.
Representatives: 53
Secy.
of State:Bruce
McPherson, R (to Jan. 2007)
Atty.
General: Bill Lockyer, D (to Jan. 2007)
Treasurer:
Phil Angelides, D (to Jan. 2007)
Entered
Union (rank): Sept. 9, 1850 (31)
Present
constitution adopted: 1879
Motto:
Eureka (I have found it)
State
symbols: flower
golden poppy (1903) tree California redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens & Sequoiadendron
giganteum) (1937, 1953) bird California valley quail (1931) animal California
grizzly bear (1953) fish California golden trout (1947) colors blue and
gold (1951) song “I Love You, California” (1951)
Nickname:
Golden State
Origin
of name: From a book, Las Sergas de Esplandián, by Garcia Ordóñez
de Montalvo, c. 1500
10
largest cities (2003 est.): Los Angeles, 3,819,951; San Diego, 1,266,753;
San Jose, 898,349; San Francisco, 751,682; Long Beach, 475,460; Fresno, 451,455;
Sacramento, 445,335; Oakland, 398,844; Santa Ana, 342,510; Anaheim, 332,361
Land
area: 155,959 sq mi. (403,934 sq km)
Geographic
center: In Madera Co., 38 mi. E of Madera
Number
of counties: 58
Largest
county by population and area: Los Angeles, 9,937,739 (2004); San Bernardino,
20,062 sq mi.
National
forests: 18
State
parks and beaches: 278 (1.5 million ac.)
Residents:
Californian
2004
resident population est.: 35,893,799
2000
resident census population (rank): 33,871,648 (1). Male: 16,874,892 (49.8%);
Female: 16,996,756 (50.2%). White: 20,170,059 (59.5%); Black: 2,263,882 (6.7%);
American Indian: 333,346 (1.0%); Asian: 3,697,513 (10.9%); Other race: 5,682,241
(16.8%); Two or more races: 1,607,646 (4.7%); Hispanic/Latino: 10,966,556 (32.4%).
2000 percent population 18 and over: 72.7; 65 and over: 10.6; median age: 33.3.
