On September 9, 1850, the 31st state joined the Union and it was California. Located in the West Coast of the United States of America, California is well known and has a long history. Today, the residents of the state enjoy living in one of the most famous places in the world, not only for entertainment but also for fashion and technology. The capital of the state of California is Sacramento and before it was made permanent, a lot of other cities were named the capital, including, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and Monterey. The country’s hottest and driest place can be found here, namely Death Valley. Death Valley, specifically Bad Water, is also the lowest point (282 feet below sea level) in the entire continental US. Coincidentally, the highest point of the entire continental US is also in California, Mt. Whitney, (14,494 feet).
California Facts For Kids
History of California
Among the many California facts for kids that you should find interesting is that it was originally part of Mexico but was ceded to America when the war ended. After the war, the United States of America had to pay Mexico roughly $15 million and Mexico ceded part of its land to its neighbor. The parts that were ceded are now known as California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Nevada. Colorado was also included in the deal but only some parts of it. Many settlers and prospectors settled in the territory when gold was discovered in the year 1848 at Sutter’s Mill. Today, the state is the third largest, in land size, of the country and is one of the leading, if not the main, producer of agricultural products in the United States of America.
The Population
The number of people in the state is almost 38 million in 2010. You would think that with this number the entire State would be full of people but the 163,694 square mile state is wonderfully wide and free. Many of the major cities are bursting at the seams with residents and visitors but the suburbs and countryside are full of nature and wide open spaces. Los Angeles and San Diego are among the most populous cities in the country and both are located in California.
One of the reasons behind the growing population may be due to the rise of technological advancements and innovations that many companies and organizations based in California are pioneering.
The Significance of California in the World
California is well known around the world. Although it leads in agriculture in the United States, there are also other industries in which it is noted for. It has been called the Entertainment Capital of the world and may be where telecommunications, biotechnology, digital media and many other innovations have been developed. The different schools, universities and research facilities in the region have made very significant contributions to what technology is today. A lot of the industrial, commercial and technological companies have their headquarters in California since it is the hub in which a lot of innovations and research are found and developed.
What makes California different from others states of U.S.?
The state of California is significantly different from most, if not all of the other states in the United States of America, because of a variety of reasons. One of the leading reasons for the difference is the diversity that the state enjoys in terms of residents and visitors. Many countries around the world have a good relationship with the US and this opens the door to visits from these countries to the US and vice versa. California is one of the states that many foreigners wish to visit and stay in because of the many points of interests that it has for visitors. As for individuals who wish to stay and work in the US, California is a technological power that can open the door to many opportunities to those who will work for it. It is basically tourist friendly, visitor friendly and immigrant friendly as well.
Another reason why it may be different from other states is the fact that the population of the state is made up of a large number of immigrants from other countries. You could say that more than half of the population of the state can trace their ancestry outside of the United States. Although, a lot of the other states also have immigrants from other countries, the sheer number of those in California is astounding.
Rivers of California
The state of California is blessed with plenty of rivers, streams and other bodies of water. These are usually kept clean and safe by organizations that intend to safeguard the future of their children and that of the state by making sure that the water sources are safe to use as well as be a good source of energy. The longest river in California is the Sacramento River which starts in the northernmost part of California and ends up somewhere near San Francisco. Along the way, the Sacramento River intersects or connects to some of the rivers in the state. One notable river that meets up with the Sacramento River is the San Joaquin River which plays host to wildlife reserves and wetlands.
Languages
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In California, the major language spoken is English, although, there are a lot of other languages that you might encounter in the state due to the fact that there are so many immigrants from different countries there. There are also some Native American tribes’ languages which may be present in the state as well as that of other native languages or dialects that are still being used from the time when California was still under Mexico. Some of these languages include, but are not limited to Penutian, Hokan and Uto-Aztecan.
People of California
The indigenous people of California are mostly Native American tribes, which number over a hundred, as recognized by the federal government. There has been some confusion regarding how the tribes are classified but many of them are arranged in order of their culture and language.
Learn more: Native American Facts for Kids
Californian sports
Californians put great stock in sports and you can expect to have several thousands of people rooting for their home team during the season. Baseball and basketball are just two of the most popular sports that residents in California watch avidly during the season. Football, hockey and soccer also have a lot of fans in the state but not as much as baseball and basketball. Most of the major cities in the state have their own team franchise which is another reason why cities like to sponsor their own teams.
Learn about the bridge in California: Golden Gate Bridge Facts For Kids
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