CALIFORNIA, Upper, as ceded to the United States by the treaty of 1848, comprises the region between 32. 30. and 42. N. Lat. and 106. and 124. W. Long.; having an area of 448,691 square miles, or 287,162,240 acres. To give some idea of its extent, we may mention that it contains 1202 square miles more than the States of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin combined. This territory is bounded on the north by Oregon, the 42d parallel of N. Lat. being the boundary line between the two territories; on the east by the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra de los Mimbres, a continuation of the same range; on the south by Sonora and Lower California; and on the west by the ocean. It is 700 miles in length, and 800 miles in breadth.
This extensive territory is naturally divided into two unequal portions lying on either side of the Sierra Nevada range of mountains. The eastern division comprises two portions, the southern being that part of the country drained by the Colorado and its numerous affluents. The other, or N.W. portion of inland California, is known as the "Great Basin," and lies between the Rocky Mountains and
the Sierra Nevada, at an elevation of between 4000 and 5000 feet above the sea. It is about 500 miles in diameter, either from north to south, or from east to west; and is surrounded on all sides by mountains, its lakes and rivers having no outlet to the ocean. Its steep interior hills and mountains are covered with forests, and rise abruptly from a base of ten or twenty miles to a height of from 7000 to 10,000 feet. It contains many large bodies of water, among which are the Utah and Great Salt lakes. The plains are arid and sterile, and the greater part of the country is desert; but many parts of it are capable of cultivation. In one of these the Mormons have lately established themselves.
Upper California has, by act of congress, been subdivided to form the State of California, the Territory of Utah, and part of the Territory of New Mexico,—all of which will be found described under their proper heads.
The history of California, previous to its annexation to the United States, presents little of interest to the general reader. It was discovered by Cabrillo, a Spanish navigator, in 1542, but was not colonized by the Spaniards until the latter half of the eighteenth century. The northern part was visited in 1578 by Sir Francis Drake, who gave it the name of New Albion. The first colonies were planted by the Roman clergy, under whose direction missions were established in various parts with the view of converting the Indians to the Catholic faith, and by blending agriculture and trade under the tutelage of the church, to render the Indians valuable subjects of the Spanish crown. The revolution which separated Mexico from Spain, annexed California to that republic; and on the adoption of the federal constitution in 1824 the Californians were erected into territories with power to send a member to the general congress, who, however, was not allowed to vote in its decisions. This was followed by the secularization of the missions. In 1833 the salaries of the monks were suspended, the Indians were relieved from servitude, the funds of the church confiscated, and the division of property among natives and settlers decreed. These blows fell heavily upon the monastic farmers and herdsmen, the missions were speedily deserted, and their edifices and establishments fell into decay. Agriculture had always been most carelessly conducted, and their implements were little improved from those used by the earliest settlers; and notwithstanding the fertility of the country, the productions were only equal to the wants of the inhabitants. In 1831, shortly before the close of the missions, the whole cereal productions of Upper California did not exceed 63,000 bushels of wheat, 28,000 bushels of corn, 4200 bushels of frijoles or brown beans, 2800 bushels of garbanzos or peas, and 18,500 bushels of barley. The number of missions at that time was 21; the Indian population in these was 18,683; the number of other classes, that is, of the garrison and free settlers, was 4342; making a total of 23,025. A pastoral life seems to have been more accordant to the tastes of the Californians; and accordingly we find that in 1831 there were 216,727 black cattle, 32,100 horses, 2844 mules, 177 asses, 153,455 sheep, 1873 goats, and 839 swine. In addition to these, there were vast numbers of cattle roaming at large, which were not marked or branded according to the Californian laws as belonging to any of the jurisdictions or missions. Yet from all this multitude but little profit was gained, except from hides and tallow, which then formed their only articles of trade; the dairy was altogether neglected, and butter and cheese almost unknown. The natives and settlers soon became dissatisfied with the national government that succeeded the milder sway of the clergy, and more than once the people declared themselves independent, but as often rejoined the confederation. Its distance from the metropolis tended to render its subjection to Mexico of a very nominal character. In 1846 California was occupied by the United States forces; and by the
California, treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on 2d February 1848, the whole country was ceded to that government. In the latter part of the same month, a mechanic named Marshall, employed in building a saw-mill for Captain Sutter, on the south branch of a river known as the American Fork, while cutting a mill-lead, discovered scales of gold in the soil. Pieces of considerable size were taken out, and in a few days gold to the amount of $150 was gathered. The news spread rapidly through the country, and examinations were prosecuted at other points along the stream, and almost everywhere with success. The towns were forthwith deserted by their male population, and a complete cessation of the whole industrial pursuits of the country was the consequence. Commerce, agriculture, mechanical pursuits, professions—all were abandoned for the purpose of gathering the glittering treasure which lay buried in the ravines, gorges, and rivers of the Sierra Nevada. In the mean time, news of the discovered El Dorado crossed the continent; and although its marvels were regarded by many as fabulous, there were others who either abandoned their homes for the wilderness, or sent hither valuable cargoes, from the sale of which they drew enormous profits. Under the temptations of trade and discovery, an immense emigration, chiefly of males, poured into California, not only from the United States, but also from Mexico, Chili, Peru, China, the Sandwich Islands, and other parts. Within a year after this wonderful discovery, the Californians felt that they were no longer outlying colonists of the American Union requiring pecuniary support and military protection against savages. Immense fleets arriving from all parts of the world poured large revenues into the national coffers. Intelligent and industrious men thronged the towns that sprang up as if by enchantment at every advantageous point. Property in land and moveables became suddenly valuable beyond the hopes or dreams of the early settlers. In 1849, in consequence of the disorganized condition of society, and the insecurity which generally prevailed, the people by their delegates met in convention at Monterey, on 1st of September, and drew up a constitution, which met with general approval. The main feature of this document is its exclusion of slavery from the state—otherwise it does not differ much from the generality of those of the older states. After a warm discussion in congress at Washington, California was admitted as a state of the Union, on the 9th of September 1850.