California is a big state in the United States of America. Before people from other countries came to California, Native Americans were living there for thousands of years. They hunted, fished, and gathered food from the land. But then, in the 16th century, Spanish explorers sailed to California and made it a part of New Spain.
The first mission (a religious settlement) in California was built in 1769 by Spanish Franciscan friars in San Diego. Over the next several decades, many more missions were built along the coast. These missions were used to convert Native Americans to Christianity and teach them Spanish ways of life. Many of these Native Americans were forced to work on the missions as laborers.
In 1846, California became a part of the United States after the Mexican-American War. This led to large numbers of settlers moving to California to start farms, businesses, and mines. One of the most famous events in California history is the Gold Rush of 1849. Gold was discovered in California, and people from all over the world rushed to California to try to strike it rich.
California became a state in 1850 and has since become known as a center of innovation and progress. It is the most populous state in the U.S. and is home to many famous landmarks and attractions, such as Hollywood, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Disneyland.