California is a state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.
California is the most populous U.S. State and the third-largest U.S. state by land area after Alaska and Texas.
The state is home to eight of the nation's fifty largest cities. It is known for its varied climate and geography as well as its diverse population.
The area known as Alta California was colonized by the Spanish Empire beginning in the late 18th century.
It and the rest of Mexico became an independent republic in 1821 but in 1846, California broke away from Mexico, and, after the Mexican-American War, Mexico ceded California to the United States.
It became the 31st state admitted to the United States on September 9, 1850.
The California Gold Rush dramatically changed California with a large influx of people and an economic boom.
