Silicon valley is located in California (CA) state in USA. It is necessary to learn the history of California in order to understand the historical linkages to present socio-political culture in the bay area.
The history of California can be divided into:
1. Native American period
California was settled from the North by successive waves of arrivals during the last 10,000 years. It was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in pre-columbian North America.
Early residents of California were
- Anasazi on southwest of CA
- On Northwest - Haida & Kwakiutl
- Iroquois Confederacy in Eastern woodlands.
After contact with Spanish explorers, most of the Native Americans died out from European diseases.
2. European exploration period from 1542 to 1769
Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado explored south western North America in search of gold 1492. In 1519, Spanish Hernand Cortes captured Aztec Empire ( Mexico)
3. Spanish colonial period, 1769 to 1821
In 1769, Father Junipero Serra built the first Spanish Mission in California.
After the Portola expedition of 1769–70, Spanish missionaries began setting up 21 California missions on or near the coast of Alta( Upper) California, beginning in San Diego. During the same period, Spanish military forces built several forts (presidios) and three small towns (pueblos). Two of the pueblos would eventually grow into the cities of Los Angeles and San Jose.
In 1776 Americans declared their independence from British rule.
Settlers began moving to California in 1800s.
4. Mexican period, 1821 to 1848
After Mexican Independence was won in 1821, California fell under the jurisdiction of the First Mexican Empire. Fearing the influence of the Roman Catholic church over their newly independent nation, the Mexican government closed all the missions and nationalised the church's property. They left behind a small “Californio" (white Hispanic) population of several thousand families, with a few small military garrisons.
In 1846 settlers rebelled against Mexican rule during the Bear Flag Revolt.
The California Republic was short lived; the same year marked the outbreak of the Mexican–American War (1846–48).] When Commodore John D. Sloat of the United States Navy sailed into Monterey Bay and began the military occupation of California by the United States, Northern California capitulated in less than a month to the United States forces.
5. United States statehood
After a series of defensive battles in Southern California, the Treaty of Cahuenga was signed by the Californios on January 13, 1847, securing American control in California.
Following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the war, the western territory of Alta California, became the United States state of CaliforniaAfter the Mexican-American War of 1846-48, Mexico was forced to relinquish any claim to California to the United States.
The unexpected discovery of Gold in 1849 produced a spectacular Gold Rush in Northern California, attracting hundreds of thousand of ambitious young men from around the world.
Only a few struck it rich, and many returned home disappointed. Most appreciated the other economic opportunities in California, especially in agriculture, and brought their families to join them.
California became the 31st US state in 1850.
Flag of California State. Ref : https://en.wikipedia.org
Chinese immigrants increasingly came under attack from nativists; they were forced out of industry and agriculture and into chinatowns in the larger cities.
As gold petered out, California increasingly became a highly productive agricultural society. The coming of the railroads in 1869 linked its rich economy with the rest of the nation, and attracted a steady stream of migrants.
In the late 19th century, Southern California, especially Los Angeles, started to grow rapidly.which continues to this present day.
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