California was considered a special prize by the United States years before its acquisition. Its harbors opened to East Asian trade, and its fertile valleys beckoned settlers to make the great trek west. In 1845, Captain John C. Fremont took a surveying party into Mexican-held California. Following a war of skirmishes and battles with Mexico, the…

Understanding the geography of the state is the key to understanding the history of California. From the beginnings of the first early settlements of indigenous peoples, the terrain and resources of California have always influenced how people arrived and where they settled in the state. Having a knowledge of the physical setting of California is…