CaliforniaThe Golden State

•31st State•Admitted to Statehood

in 1850•Population 33,871,648

Capital CitySacramento

• Founded in 1849• Pony Express, Continental Railroad, and Gold

Rush all began here• Colleges: UC Davis and Cal State Sacramento• Places to Visit: Old Sacramento and Sutter’s Fort

Three Major Cities• Los Angeles: Farming town owned by

Spain, UCLA, Olvera Street, a Mexican Market Place

• San Diego: 1st mission founded in 1769, UCSD, Sea World, San Diego Zoo

• San Jose: 1st Civilian Settlement 1777, San Jose State, Winchester Mystery House

Mountains, Rivers & Lakes

• Mountains: Sierra Nevadas, Higest Point is Mt. Whitney 14,494 feet

• Rivers: Sacramento and Colorado

• Lakes: Lake Shasta and Mono Lake

State Symbols

• Bird: California Valley Quail

• Flower: California Poppy

• State Seal:

• State Flag:

Famous People

• Richard Nixon: 37th President of the United States

• Jeff Gordon: Race Car Driver

• Jack London: Author, White Fang

Tourist Attractions

• Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

• Yosemite National Park

• Disneyland, Anaheim

Manufacturing, Agriculture & Climate

• Manufacturing: Computers and computer software, film production, aerospace, tourism

• Agriculture: Vegetables, fruit, nuts, dairy, cattle, nursery stock, grapes

• Climate: Varied temperatures. Summers are dry with occasional showers. Rain occurs most heavily October - April in the north and November - March in the south

Important Dates

1849 - Gold Rush1850 - California becomes a state1869 - Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad

Fun FactsDid you know that…•California is bordered by Arizona, Nevada & Oregon•More turkeys are raised in California than in any other state•Death Valley is the hottest, driest place in the United States•Sequoia National Park has the largest tree which is 102 feet in circumference