California turns 175: Here’s some interesting things about the Golden State

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALIFORNIA On Sept California was admitted as the st state in the union Here are a scarce things to celebrate about our -year-old home State flag history Related Articles After fire Alum Rock organizers fight to save treasured San Jose public hub Currently in History September Attica prison uprising begins Historic downtown San Jose building is bought for more than million Frank Lloyd Wright s iconic California architecture as Hollywood filmed it How the White House s review of Smithsonian content could reach into classrooms nationwide On June rebellious settlers marched on the Mexican garrison at Sonoma They declared California to be a republic independent of Mexico This became known as the Bear Flag Revolt named for the hastily designed flag depicting a grizzly and a five-point star over a red bar and the words California Republic The flag only flew until July when it was learned that Mexico and the United States were already at war It was adopted as the state flag in Settling on SacramentoCalifornia s first capital was San Jose which was deemed inadequate due to lack of facilities for a proper capital and a wet winter in - turned dirt roads into muddy streams This map shows where the capital was before Sacramento was chosen Blue and gold became the official colors of the state in California has National Park Utility sites that get an estimated million visitors each year The California Department of Parks and Recreation manages parks California has the tallest trees coast redwoods the biggest trees giant sequoias and the oldest trees bristlecone pines in the world If you think years is a long time chosen bristlecone pines are thought to be almost years old Wise choices We have a Roman goddess on our state seal Minerva who symbolized wisdom and war When the state seal was created in the designers noted that just as myth tells us Minerva sprang full-grown from the head of Jupiter California became a state without having to go through a territorial stage In leaders from around the future state met in Monterey to draft the first constitution The wording was approved Nov by a vote of to Peter Burnett was elected governor and in January the state Legislature began its first two-year session The state constitution had the following preamble We the people of California grateful to Almighty God for our freedom in order to secure its blessings do establish this Constitution It has articles and can be read on the California secretary of state s website sos ca gov You can find a list for all the state symbols at the State Library s site here Sources U S Census Bureau California Parks and Recreation California State Library California Secretary of State s Office California Department of Finance California State Association of Counties