California

By Olivia Frykman

California By Olivia Mr. Cohen

Integrated in 2002. Sacramento is the capital of the U. S. State of California, and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a 2010 estimated population of 500,200, it is the seventh-largest city in California Sacramento is the core cultural and economic center of the Sacramento Metropolitan Area which includes El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties and has a combined population of approximately 2,660,604. That makes the area the fourth largest metro area in California (after the Greater Los Angeles Area, San Francisco Bay Area, and San Diego. The city ranks 19th for the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Also, the city was cited by Time magazine as America's most ethnically and racially

California’s State Capital

California’s State BirdCalifornia’s state bird is the Valley Quail.

California designated the California valley quail as official state bird in 1931. Known for their hardiness and adaptability, the native California valley quail is a plump bird, smaller than a pigeon, with a distinctive black plume on its head and a black bib with a white stripe under its beak. Other common names: California partridge, Catalina quail, Topknot quail and Valley Quail.

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California’s State Song California’s state song is “I Love you, California”, written by F.B. Silverwood, composed by A. F. Frankenstein.

Verse One: I love you, California, you're the greatest state of all.I love you in the winter, summer, spring and in the fall.I love your fertile valleys; your dear mountains I adore.I love your grand old ocean and I love her rugged shore.

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California’s Flower

California’s flower is the Golden Poppy. The California poppy was designated the state flower of California in 1903. California Indians valued the poppy as a food source and for the oil extracted from the plant. Also known as the flame flower, or a cup of gold. The poppy grows wild throughout California.

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California’s State Tree California’s state tree is the California Redwood. California designated

redwood as the official state tree in 1937 the giant sequoia. The giant sequoia is the most massive tree in the world, with 30- foot diameter trunks not

uncommon. They reach ages of over 3,000 years. The coast redwood is the tallest tree in the world, averaging about 300 feet high. The oldest known redwood

trees lived to be 2,200 years old.

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California’s State Animal California’s state animal is the Grizzly Bear. Before the grizzly bear

was exterminated in California, this magnificent animal thrived in the great valleys and low mountains of the state (probably in greater numbers than

anywhere else in North America).

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California’s State Insect California’s state insect is the Dogface Butterfly. in 1929 California became the first state to designate a state insect, resulting from responses to a statewide poll given by Lorquin Entomological Society of Los Angeles to all active entomologists

in the state.

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California’s State Gem Stone California’s state gem stone is the Benitoite. California designated

benitoite as the official state gemstone in 1985. Benitoite is sometimes called the "blue diamond." First discovered near the headwaters of the San Benito River (hence the name) in 1907, benitoite is a very rare gem

that ranges in color from a light transparent blue to dark, sapphire blue, or occasionally a violet shade.

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California’s State RockCalifornia’s state rock is the Serpentine. California has a greater

number of minerals and a wider variety of rock types than does any other state. Serpentine, a shiny, green and blue rock found throughout

California, was named the official State Rock in 1965. It contains the state's principal deposits of chromite, magnesite, and cinnabar.

California was the first state to designate a State Rock.

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California’s State Grass California’s state grass is the Purple Needlegrass. Purple needlegrass was

designated the official state grass of California in 2004. A widespread, native perennial bunchgrass that can live for 150 years, purple needlegrass ranges from the Oregon border into northern Baja

California.

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California’s State Reptile California’s state reptile is the Desert Tortoise. California recognized the

desert tortoise as the official state reptile in 1972. The desert tortoise lives in the deserts of southern California to southern Nevada, western Arizona, and

northern Mexico. It spends about 95 percent of its life in burrows that allow escape from heat or cold. Listed as threatened, the desert tortoise population

has decreased by 90% since the 1980s due to vandalism, predation, disease, and collection for pets witch is now illegal. Habitat loss from mining, livestock

grazing, off- road vehicles, and development are also major factors threatening this ancient animal.

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California’s State Motto

California’s state motto is "Eureka...I have found it!" California's state motto (Eureka... I have found it!) refers to the discovery of gold in California. The California state motto also appears on the state

seal.The Greek word Eureka means "I have found it,” the famed Greek

mathematician Archimedes is said to have exclaimed "Eureka!" when he finally discovered a method for determining the purity of gold.

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Eureka...I have found it!

California’s State Fossil California’s state fossil is the Sabre-tooth Cat. California designated the sabre-tooth cat as the official state fossil in 1973. The sabre-tooth cat was common in California 40 million years ago. Many fossil bones of the sabre-tooth have been found in the tar pits of Rancho La Brea in Los Angeles. Big Cats such as the Sabre-tooth and the American lion were once widespread throughout the Americas, becoming extinct about 10,000 years ago.

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California’s State PopulationCalifornia’s state population is 29,670,021! Michigan’s state

population is 9,295,297, that’s about 20,000,000 more people than Michigan has!

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California’s State SoilCalifornia’s state soil is San Joaquin Soil. San Joaquin soil series

was designated the official state soil of California in 1997 through the efforts of students and teachers at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Madera, natural resource professionals, the Professional Soil Scientists Association of California, legislators, and several state universities. A profile of San Joaquin soil is displayed at the World Soil Museum in the Netherlands.

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California’s Historical Event California’s historical event is the first voyage in 1542 to Alta California (Upper California), as the region north of

Lower California came to be known, was commanded by the Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, who explored San Diego Bay and the area farther north along the coast. In 1579 an English expedition headed by Sir Francis Drake landed near Point Reyes, N of San Francisco, and claimed the region for Queen Elizabeth I. In 1602, Sebastián Vinzcaino, another Spaniard, explored the coast and Monterey Bay.

Colonization was slow, but finally in 1769 Gaspar de Portolá, governor of the Californias, led an expedition up the Pacific coast and established a colony on San Diego Bay. The following year he explored the area around Monterey Bay and later returned to establish a presidio there. Soon afterward Monterey became the capital of Alta California. Accompanying Portolá's expedition was Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan missionary who founded a mission at San Diego. Franciscans later founded several missions that extended as far N as Sonoma, N of San Francisco. The missionaries sought to Christianize the Native Americans but also forced them to work as manual laborers, helping to build the missions into vital agricultural communities (see Mission Indians). Cattle raising was of primary importance, and hides and tallow were exported. The missions have been preserved and are now open to visitors.

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California’s State Artifact California’s state artifact is the chipped stone bear. California

designated the chipped stone bear as the official state prehistoric artifact in 1991 (actual size about 2.5 by 1.5 inches). Discovered in 1985

at an archaeological dig site in San Diego County, this small stone resembles a walking bear.

The bear was created about 7- 8,000 years ago out of volcanic rock by one of California's first human inhabitants. California is the first state to

designate a prehistoric artifact as an official state symbol.

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California’s State Dance California’s state dance is the West Coast Swing Dance. California has

officially designated West Coast Swing as the state dance (California also recognizes the American Square Dance as official state folk dance).

Originating in California in the early 1930's with the evolution of "swing-jazz," or "big-band" music, west coast swing dancing is an intricate

dance that requires very energetic (even acrobatic) dancing. In the 1950s and early 1960s one name for West Coast Swing was "Sophisticated

Swing."

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California’s State Marine Fish California’s state marine fish is the Garibaldi. California

designates the garibaldi as the official state marine fish (the California golden trout is the state freshwater fish). The garibaldi is found in

shallow waters off the Southern California coast and Mexico.

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California’s State Fish California’s state fish is the California Golden Trout. The California

Golden Trout was designated the official state fish of California in 1947. The golden trout is native to California, originally found only in a few icy streams of the headwaters of the Kern River. Hatchery- raised fish have

now extended the range of the golden trout to many waters at high elevation in the Sierra Nevadas and also other states.

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California’s State Marine Mammal California’s state marine mammal is the California Gray Whale.

California designated the California gray whale as the official state marine mammal in 1975. The California gray whale can be seen traveling

in small groups along the California coast on their 6,000 to 7,000 mile journey from the western Bering Sea to their mating area in Baja California, and again on the return trip. The California gray whale

measures 35 to 50 feet in length and 20 to 40 tons in weight.

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California’s State Flag California’s state flag is The Bear Flag. Designed by William Todd

(nephew of Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham Lincoln), the historic bear flag was raised at Sonoma, California in 1846 by American settlers

in revolt against Mexican rule (officially adopted as the state flag of California in 1911).

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California’s State Colors California’s state colors are Blue and Gold. The official state

colors of California are blue and gold - officially designated in 1951. Blue represents the sky and sea. Gold symbolizes the color of the precious

mineral mined by the forty- niners from the hills of California.

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California’s State Mineral California’s state mineral is Gold. California designated gold as the

official state mineral in 1965. The gold rush that followed the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848 is an integral part of the history and

culture of California. California's population exploded from 14,000 to 250,000 people in just four years after gold was discovered (prospectors

are still panning for gold in California's streams).

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Date Admitted To The UnionThe exact day that California was admitted to the Union was

September 9th, 1850; the 31st state. Michigan was admitted to the Union was January 26th, 1837; the 26st. That’s long before California was.

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One Of California’s Collages

One of California’s state collages is UCLA. The UCLA campus encompasses 419 acres, which includes approximately 174 buildings. It is located in Los Angeles, California. Choosing Your Course of Study at UCLA ... It is wise to wait and explore the diversity of subject areas offered at UCLA through taking

introductory courses in a variety of disciplines. It would not be unusual for you to become enthusiastic about disciplines previously unfamiliar to you. There web

address is www.ucla.edu. logo

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California’s Tourist Attractions Tourist Attraction #1, Death Valley Hiking

Death Valley's seldom-traveled backcountry offers a variety of unique hiking opportunities for the active traveler: narrow,

labyrinthine slot canyons cut through polished marble and limestone, hidden oases frequented by desert bighorn sheep and challenging mining trails that climb to remote desert summits. Our

scenic campsite is in a secluded wilderness location - sometimes just getting to camp is an

adventure! The camp, at the foot of the Funeral Mountains, will act as our base for the entire week allowing us to spend more time exploring and less time packing up and moving. Our schedule allows

for hiking excursions to many of the park’s geological highlights and our temperate

springtime departures are timed to catch Death Valley's cacti and wildflowers in bloom.

Tourist Attractions #2, Joshua Tree Backcountry Climbing

Joshua Tree National Park encompasses some of the most interesting geologic displays found in California's deserts. Exposed granite monoliths and rugged mountains of twisted rock testify to the power of the natural forces that shaped this unique landscape. This weekend getaway offers maximum opportunities to fully enjoy every aspect of outdoor adventure that the Joshua Tree backcountry has to offer by combining moderate guided backpacking with professional rock climbing instruction! This trip is ideal for fit people with little or no rock climbing or backpacking experience, but is also appropriate for anyone looking to improve on the skills they already have. All climbing instruction in Joshua Tree is provided by American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) trained and/or certified rock climbing guides who have dedicated their lives to teaching people how to climb. Be aware that this is a backpacking course, and participants will be required to carry their personal gear (weighing about 20-25 lbs.) and a portion of their tent, food, and group gear (weighing about 10-15 lbs.) for the duration of the trip.

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Interesting Facts On CaliforniaOne of California’s interesting facts is that it is home to some

of the most famous people in America, they may also be one of your favorite celebrities. It’s Hollywood. Many people live there that you

might know, for example: Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and the Jones Brothers.

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Bibliography

BooksCalifornia USA By The Capstone

Press Geography

Welcome To The USA California By Ann Heinrichs

Sites www.Google.com www.50states.org www.statesymbolsusa.org www.ucla.edu www.ask.com

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