ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of California before 1900

Hey there little buddy! Today we're going to talk about the history of California before the year 1900.

A long, long time ago, before people even knew that California existed, it was home to many different Native American tribes. They lived all over the land, from the mountains to the coast, and had their own cultures and ways of life. Some of the most well-known tribes were the Chumash, Miwok, and Pomo people. They hunted, fished, and gathered food to survive.

Then, in 1542, a man named Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed on the coast of California. He was working for the Spanish government and was the first European to set foot in California. The Spanish started to come to California more often, and in 1769 they founded the city of San Diego, which is still an important city in California today.

The Spanish also set up missions all throughout California, which were like little towns where Native Americans could learn about Christianity and Spanish culture. The most famous of these missions is probably Mission San Juan Capistrano, where you can still visit today.

As more and more people came to California, conflicts between the Spanish, Native Americans, and other European countries began to arise. In 1848, the Mexican-American War ended with California becoming a part of the United States.

Soon after, gold was discovered in California, and people from all over the world came to try and find some for themselves. This was called the California Gold Rush, and it brought a lot of people and money to California. With all of these new arrivals, California's population grew quickly.

In 1850, California officially became a state, and a few years later it played a big role in the Civil War. The state was an important place for both Union and Confederate forces to control, so many battles were fought there.

Over time, California continued to grow and change. Railroads were built, new cities were founded, and more people continued to come to the state. So that's the story of California before 1900, little buddy. It was a place of diverse cultures, conflicts, and growth.