History of California in Timeline

California is the most populous US state, located on the Pacific Coast, bordering Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. It is the third-largest state by area and the most populous subnational entity in North America with a population of over 39 million and an area of 163,696 square miles.

1900: California population between 1900 and 2020

For well over a century (1900–2020), California experienced steady population growth.

1900: Population Growth

From 1900 to 1965, the population of California grew from fewer than one million to the greatest in the Union.

1906: San Francisco Earthquake

In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake happened, which remains one of the deadliest in U.S. history.

1909: KCBS (AM) Founded

In 1909, KCBS (AM), one of the oldest radio stations in the United States still in existence, was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area.

1911: Outlawing of Ecosystem management by Native Americans

In 1911, Native American use of fire in ecosystem management was outlawed in California.

July 10, 1913: Highest Temperature Recorded in Death Valley

On July 10, 1913, the highest temperature in the world, 134 °F (56.7 °C), was recorded in Death Valley, California.

1913: Alien Land Act

In 1913, California passed the Alien Land Act, excluding Asian immigrants from owning land.

1928: St. Francis Dam Flood

In 1928, the St. Francis Dam flood happened, which remains one of the deadliest in U.S. history.

1932: Los Angeles Summer Olympics

In 1932, Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics.

1936: San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge completed

In 1936, the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge was completed, transporting about 280,000 vehicles per day.

January 20, 1937: Lowest Temperature Recorded in Boca

On January 20, 1937, the lowest temperature in California was −45 °F (−43 °C) in Boca.

1937: Golden Gate Bridge opened

In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened, becoming the longest suspension bridge main span in the world at 4,200 feet (1,300 m).

1939: California had exclusively Republican governors

From 1899 to 1939, California had exclusively Republican governors.

1940: Average Population Increase in California

California added an average of around 400,000 people per year to its population during the period 1940–2020.

1940: Arroyo Seco Parkway opened

In 1940, the Arroyo Seco Parkway opened, connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena as the first freeway in the Western United States.

1940: Census Bureau Report

In 1940, the Census Bureau reported California's population as 6% Hispanic, 2.4% Asian, and 90% non-Hispanic white.

1952: Start of Republican-leaning Era

In 1952, California began a Republican-leaning period that lasted until 1988.

1960: Squaw Valley Winter Olympics

In 1960, Squaw Valley Ski Resort (now Palisades Tahoe) hosted the Winter Olympics.

1960: California Master Plan for Higher Education Adopted

In 1960, the California state government adopted the California Master Plan for Higher Education to develop an efficient system of public education.

1964: Golden Gate Bridge no longer the longest suspension bridge

By 1964, the Golden Gate Bridge was no longer the longest suspension bridge main span in the world.

1964: Sole Exception

In 1964, California did not vote Republican; this was the exception to the state's Republican-leaning trend from 1952 to 1988.

1965: California's population growth

From 1900 to 1965, the population of California grew from fewer than one million to the greatest in the Union.

1970: Decline of Non-Hispanic Whites

Between 1970 and 2011, the percentage of non-Hispanic whites in California's population declined from 80% to 40%.

1974: Farming-related sales reach $7.3 billion

In 1974, farming-related sales in California totaled $7.3 billion.

1976: California executions since 1976

Since 1976, California has performed 13 executions.

1978: Proposition 13 passed

In 1978, California voters passed Proposition 13, limiting state property taxes.

1980: California's prison population at 25,000

In 1980, California's prison population was 25,000.

1984: Los Angeles Summer Olympics

In 1984, Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics.

1986: Proposition 63 and English as Official Language

In 1986, California voters passed Proposition 63, enshrining English as the official language of the state.

1988: End of Republican-leaning Era

In 1988, California's Republican-leaning era ended.

1990: California generally elected Democratic candidates

Since 1990, California has generally elected Democratic candidates to federal, state and local offices.

1992: Rodney King Riots

In 1992, tensions between police and African Americans, combined with unemployment and poverty in inner cities, led to riots, such as the Rodney King riots.

1992: Democrats Win All Electoral Votes

Starting in 1992, Democrats have won all of California's electoral votes in every election.

1994: FIFA World Cup Matches in California

In 1994, multiple games during the FIFA World Cup took place in California, with the Rose Bowl hosting eight matches (including the final) and Stanford Stadium hosting six matches.

1996: California High-Speed Rail Authority authorized

In 1996, the state legislature authorized the California High-Speed Rail Authority to plan a high-speed rail system.

December 1997: Endangered Plant Species

As of December 1997, 85 plant species in California were listed as threatened or endangered.

1998: State spending increased from $56 billion

In 1998, State spending increased from $56 billion.

2000: Growth of Hispanic Population

Between 2000 and 2011, the percentage of Hispanics in California's population grew from 32% to 38%.

2000: California Veterans in 2000

In 2000, California had 2,569,340 veterans of United States military service.

2001: California Energy Crisis

In 2001, California experienced an energy crisis that led to rolling blackouts, soaring power rates, and the importation of electricity from neighboring states.

2002: Californians under-represented in the military

As of 2002, Californians were relatively under-represented in the military as a proportion to its population.

April 2003: California animals on federal endangered list

As of April 2003, 118 California animals were on the federal endangered list.

April 2003: Bighorn Sheep Listed as Endangered

As of April 2003, the bighorn sheep was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

2004: Proposition 71 passed

In 2004, California voters passed Proposition 71 to fund stem cell research, making California the second state to legalize stem cell research.

2004: Farming-related sales reach nearly $31 billion

In 2004, farming-related sales in California reached nearly $31 billion.

2005: San Joaquin Valley characterized as economically depressed

According to a 2005 report by the Congressional Research Service, the San Joaquin Valley was characterized as one of the most economically depressed regions in the United States.

2005: Escalating Housing Prices

By 2005, a modest home in urban areas of California which in the 1960s cost $25,000 would cost half a million dollars or more.

2005: Migrant arrests at Mexican border peak

In 2005, arrests of migrants attempting to cross the Mexican border in the Southwest reached a high of 1.1 million.

2005: Student Population in California Schools

In the 2005–06 school year, California had over 6.2 million students.

2006: Last Use of Death Penalty

California has not used the death penalty since 2006, though it still retains it.

2006: Last execution performed

California performed its last execution in 2006.

2006: California exports $127 billion worth of goods

In 2006, California exported $127 billion worth of goods.

2006: Jewish Population in California

In 2006, the total Jewish population of California was estimated at about 1,194,190.

2007: Indigenous Languages Surveyed Among Farmworkers

A survey conducted between 2007 and 2009 identified 23 different indigenous languages among California farmworkers.

2007: California exports $134 billion worth of goods

In 2007, California exported $134 billion worth of goods.

2007: California's prison population over 170,000

In 2007, California's prison population grew to over 170,000.

2007: Democratic Edge in House Delegation

In 2007, the Democrats held a 34–19 seat advantage in the California delegation of the 110th United States Congress.

2007: Housing Market Bubble Burst

In 2007, the housing market bubble burst in California, leading to crashing prices, soaring foreclosures, and significant financial losses for institutions and investors.

November 2008: California Proposition 1A approved

In November 2008, California Proposition 1A, connecting all the major population centers in the state, was approved by the voters.

2008: California exports $144 billion worth of goods

In 2008, California exported $144 billion worth of goods. Vehicles, computers, and electronic products were the top exports, accounting for 42% of the state's total exports.

2008: Proposition 8 banned marriage for gay couples

In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, banning marriage for gay couples.

2008: California agricultural products generate $36.2 billion in revenue

In 2008, California's 81,500 farms and ranches generated $36.2 billion in products revenue.

2008: Proposition 20 Passed

In 2008, Californians passed Proposition 20, which empowered a 14-member independent citizen commission to redraw districts for local politicians and Congress.

2008: Religious Denominations in California

In 2008, the population identified their religion with the Catholic Church (31%), Evangelical Protestants (18%), and Mainline Protestants (14%).

2009: Indigenous Languages Surveyed Among Farmworkers

A survey conducted between 2007 and 2009 identified 23 different indigenous languages among California farmworkers.

2009: Active duty servicemembers in California

As of 2009, the U.S. Department of Defense had a total of 117,806 active duty servicemembers in California.

June 8, 2010: Proposition 14 approved

On June 8, 2010, Proposition 14 was approved, changing California's primary election process to a nonpartisan blanket primary.

September 2010: California Animals Listed as Endangered or Threatened

As of September 2010, 123 California animals were listed as either endangered or threatened on the federal list.

2010: California Veterans in 2010

As of 2010, there were 1,942,775 veterans living in California.

2010: Proposition 14 passed

In 2010, California passed Proposition 14 to completely change the state's primary election process.

2010: California residents have best average credit score

In 2010, California residents were ranked first among the states with the best average credit score of 754.

2010: Los Angeles County largest origin of military recruits

In 2010, Los Angeles County was the largest origin of military recruits in the United States by county, with 1,437 individuals enlisting.

2010: Largest Denominations by Adherents

In 2010, the largest denominations by adherents in California were the Catholic Church with 10,233,334 adherents, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 763,818 adherents, and the Southern Baptist Convention with 489,953 adherents.

2010: California-born residents Make Up The Majority

Starting in the year 2010, for the first time since the California Gold Rush, California-born residents made up the majority of the state's population.

2010: Census Data on Population Growth

The 2010 census recorded a 6.13% increase since the 2010 census. During that decade, the state's population grew more slowly than the rest of the nation, resulting in the loss of one seat on the US House of Representatives, the first loss in its entire history.

January 2011: California's total debt at least $265 billion

In January 2011, California's total debt was at least $265 billion.

2011: California's Minority Population

According to estimates from 2011, California had the largest minority population in the United States, making up 60% of the state population.

2011: Minorities in California

In 2011, 75.1% of California's population younger than age 1 were minorities.

2011: California agricultural products reach $43.5 billion in revenue

In 2011, California's 81,500 farms and ranches generated $43.5 billion in products revenue, with milk and cream, shelled almonds, and grapes being the top agricultural products.

2011: Migrant arrests decrease; undocumented population remains significant

In 2011, arrests of migrants attempting to cross the Mexican border in the Southwest decreased to 367,000. Despite this, undocumented immigrants constituted an estimated 7.3 percent of California's population.

2011: Immigration Patterns

In total for 2011, there were 277,304 immigrants to California.

2011: Start of Drought

Starting in 2011, California experienced a persistent drought, the worst in its recorded history, lasting until 2017.

2012: Democrats Gain Seats

Following the 2012 elections, when the new system took effect, Democrats gained four seats and held a 38–15 majority in the delegation.

2012: Employees per Student in California's K–12 Public Schools

For 2012, California's K–12 public schools ranked 48th in the number of employees per student, at 0.102 (the U.S. average was 0.137), while paying the 7th most per employee, $49,000 (the U.S. average was $39,000).

2012: Proposition 30 passed

In 2012, Proposition 30 was passed, levying a 13.3% maximum marginal income tax rate.

June 27, 2013: Governor Brown signs balanced budget

On June 27, 2013, Governor Jerry Brown signed a balanced budget for California, its first in decades; however, the state's debt remained at $132 billion.

2013: San Onofre nuclear plant shut down

In 2013, the San Onofre nuclear plant in California was shut down.

2014: Religious Denominations in California

In 2014, the largest religious denominations in California were the Catholic Church (28%), Evangelical Protestants (20%), and Mainline Protestants (10%), with those unaffiliated with any religion at 27%.

2015: Construction of California High-Speed Rail began

In 2015, the first phase of construction began for the California High-Speed Rail system.

2016: Proposition 58 Reverses Bilingual Education Prohibition

In 2016, California Proposition 58 reversed the prohibition on bilingual education, though there are still many barriers to the proliferation of Spanish bilingual education.

2016: California's K–12 Public School Per-Pupil Spending

In 2016, California's K–12 public school per-pupil spending was ranked 22nd in the nation ($11,500 per student vs. $11,800 for the U.S. average).

2016: Democratic Shift in Orange County

In 2016, Orange County began to shift from being largely Republican, with a majority of the county's votes being cast for Democratic candidates in the 2016 and 2018 elections.

2016: Proposition 55 passed

In 2016, Proposition 55 was passed, continuing the 13.3% maximum marginal income tax rate.

2016: California Presidential Election

In the 2016 United States presidential election, California had the third highest percentage of Democratic votes behind the District of Columbia and Hawaii.

2017: Official poverty rate at 13.3%

As of 2017, California's official poverty rate was 13.3%.

2017: End of Drought

From 2011 to 2017, California experienced a persistent drought, the worst in its recorded history.

2017: Origin and Meaning of 'California'

In 2017, a state legislative document stated that the origin and meaning of the word 'California' is uncertain, and that the name was added to a map by 1541 by a Spanish navigator.

2017: Minimum state sales tax rate reverts to 7.25%

In 2017, the minimum state sales tax rate in California reverted to 7.25% after Proposition 55 did not extend the increase enacted by Proposition 30.

2018: California's Nominal GDP

As of 2018, California's nominal GDP is larger than all but four countries.

2018: Democrats Win Majority of House Seats

Following the 2018 midterm House elections, Democrats won 46 out of 53 congressional house seats in California.

2018: Deadliest and most destructive wildfire season

In 2018, California experienced its deadliest and most destructive wildfire season.

2018: Airport Statistics

In 2018, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was the 4th busiest airport in the world, and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) was the 25th busiest.

2018: Democratic Shift in Orange County

In 2018, Orange County shifted from being largely Republican, with a majority of the county's votes being cast for Democratic candidates in the 2016 and 2018 elections.

2018: Ethnic Composition of California's Population

In 2018, the population of California was 60.7% non-Hispanic and 39.3% Hispanic or Latino, with non-Hispanic whites making up 36.8% of the state's population.

2019: Yes California movement postponed referendum

In 2019, The Yes California movement postponed an independence referendum that they were attempting to organize via ballot initiative.

2019: Over one million millionaire households in the state

In 2019, there were 1,042,027 millionaire households in California, the most of any state in the nation.

January 26, 2020: First Confirmed COVID-19 Case

On January 26, 2020, one of the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States occurred in California.

March 4, 2020: State of Emergency Declared

On March 4, 2020, a state of emergency was declared in California due to COVID-19.

March 19, 2020: Mandatory Stay-at-Home Order Issued

On March 19, 2020, a mandatory statewide stay-at-home order was issued in California.

April 1, 2020: California Population

On April 1, 2020, the United States Census Bureau reported that the population of California was 39.54 million.

July 2020: Population decline in California

In 2020, California began to experience population declines continuing every year, attributable mostly to moves out of state but also due to declining birth rates, COVID-19 pandemic deaths, and less internal migration from other states to California.

November 2020: California voters reject affirmative action

In November 2020, California voters rejected affirmative action.

2020: Life Expectancy Ranking

As of 2020, California ranked fourth among states by life expectancy, with a life expectancy of 79.0 years.

2020: California Apologized for Japanese Internment

In 2020, California apologized for the internment of Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II.

2020: California judicial officers and employees processed approximately 4.4 million cases

In fiscal year 2020–2021, the state judiciary's judicial officers and judicial branch employees processed approximately 4.4 million cases.

2020: California Presidential Election

In the 2020 United States presidential election, California had the 6th highest percentage of Democratic votes behind the District of Columbia, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Hawaii.

January 2021: End of Stay-at-Home Order

In January 2021, the mandatory statewide stay-at-home order that had been issued in California was ended.

September 2021: Non-Farm Employment in California

As of September 2021, California recorded total, non-farm employment of 16,677,800 among 966,224 employer establishments.

2021: Language Use in California Homes

According to the 2021 American Community Survey, 56.08% of California residents age 5 and older spoke only English at home, while 43.92% spoke another language at home.

2021: California residents move out of state

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2021 and 2022, 818,000 California residents moved out of state with emigrants listing high cost of living, high taxes, and a difficult business environment as the motivation.

2021: California Vehicle and License Statistics

By the end of 2021, 30,610,058 people in California held a California Department of Motor Vehicles-issued driver's licenses or state identification card, and there were 36,229,205 registered vehicles.

2021: Per capita GDP reaches $85,546

In 2021, California's per capita GDP was $85,546, ranking fourth in the nation.

2021: Spanish Speakers in California

In 2021, Spanish was spoken by 28.18% of California's population, making it the most common language behind English.

2021: California judicial officers and employees processed approximately 4.4 million cases

In fiscal year 2020–2021, the state judiciary's judicial officers and judicial branch employees processed approximately 4.4 million cases.

February 13, 2022: Super Bowl LVI Held at SoFi Stadium

On February 13, 2022, Super Bowl LVI was held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

September 2022: California's Unemployment Rate

As of September 2022, California's unemployment rate was 3.9%.

October 2022: Party registration by county

As of October 2022, this is a party registration by county in california

October 2022: Voter Registration Statistics

In October 2022, California had 21,940,274 registered voters out of 26,876,800 eligible voters. The largest registered groups were Democrats (10,283,258), Republicans (5,232,094), and those with No Party Preference (4,943,696).

2022: Ancestry Estimates from the American Community Survey

According to 2022 estimates from the American Community Survey, 32.4% of the population had Mexican ancestry, 6.6% had German ancestry, 6.1% had English ancestry, 5.6% had Irish ancestry, 4.9% had Chinese ancestry, 4.3% had Filipino ancestry, 4% had Central American ancestry (Mostly Salvadoran and Guatemalan), 3.4% had Italian ancestry, 2.8% listed themselves as American, and 2.5% had Indian ancestry.

2022: California's Homeless Population

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 171,521 homeless people in California.

2022: California residents move out of state

2022: United States Census Bureau Identifies Racial Composition of California

According to the United States Census Bureau in 2022 the population self-identified as (alone or in combination): 56.5% White (including Hispanic Whites), 33.7% non-Hispanic white, 18.1% Asian, 7.3% Black or African American, 3.2% Native American and Alaska Native, 0.9% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 34.3% some other race.

2022: Klamath River Restoration Project Announced

As of 2022, the largest dam removal and river restoration project in US history was announced for the Klamath River, representing a victory for California tribes.

2022: Revival of Controlled Burns

In 2022, a new state program was created in California, in collaboration with indigenous peoples, to revive the practice of controlled burns for forest management.

2022: Recognition of Indigenous Burning Practices

In 2022, the California government recognized the benefits of controlled burning, a practice developed by indigenous peoples to mitigate destructive wildfires.

2022: Clean Energy, Jobs and Affordability Act

In 2022, the Clean Energy, Jobs and Affordability Act committed California to running its operations on clean, renewable energy resources by 2035.

February 2023: End of State of Emergency

In February 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom ended the state of emergency that had been declared in California due to COVID-19.

July 2023: Net Loss of Population

Between July 2020 and July 2023, the net loss of population in California was 433,000.

2023: California's integrated passenger rail master plan includes a high speed rail system.

California's 2023 integrated passenger rail master plan includes a high speed rail system.

July 1, 2024: Mountain House Becomes Incorporated Municipality

On July 1, 2024, Mountain House became California's most recent and 483rd incorporated municipality.

2024: California's Gross State Product

As of 2024, the gross state product (GSP) of California is $4.0 trillion ($102,500 per capita), the largest of any U.S. state.

February 2025: Satirical Petition to Buy California

In February 2025, a satirical petition of Denmark wanting to buy California and renaming it 'New Denmark', was published, with the goal of reaching 1 million votes.

2025: Projected Ranking of California's Economy

As of 2025, it was estimated that California's economy, if it were a country, would be the fifth-largest in the world, behind Japan and ahead of India.