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John C. Fremont led an American military exploration party into Mexican held California. The result of this invasion led Mexican soldiers to cross the Rio Grande River and President Polk declared war with Mexico.
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California settlers briefly declared California an independent Republic from Mexico.
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American naval and land forces expel Mexican troops from California leaving U.S. forces in control.
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A carpenter named James Marshal discoveres gold on John Sutter's (pictured) land near Sacramento, California.
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The Treaty of Guadulupe Hildalgo was signed ending the war between the U.S. and Mexico. The U.S. pays $15 million for California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and parts of Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming.
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The city of San Fransisco becomes deserted overnight when every able bodied man races to the gold fields to try and make their fortune.
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California's population jumps to 100,000 by 1850.
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In a hotly debated compromise California was admitted as the 31st and free state to the Union.
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California's peak gold production was in 1853.
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By 1855 San Fransico publishes more newspapers then London and publishes more books then all of the rest of the United States west of the Mississippi.
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Ten years after gold was discovered California had produced almost 2 billion dollars in minerals and inspired the spirit of American Manifest Destiny.
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First California flag provided by California Blue Book. Battle of Monterey provided by the University of Texas. Signing of the Treaty of Guadulupe of Hildago provided by PBS. John Sutter was painted by William Jewett. View of San Francisco painted by George Henry Burgess. Sunday Morning in Mine by Charles Nahl. Gold production by Wikipedia. San Francisco provided by APrestored.com. San Francisco 1858 provided by Maprestored.com.
