How the U.S. state of California began
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Nov. 9, 2024

My prediction: Kamala Harris will become California's next governor
after Gavin Newsom is termed out at the end of 2026. She can easily
win and will have a far-reaching influence as one of the most
powerful state governors and the leader of the world's
fifth-largest economy.

California, like all other states, has a flag of its own. It
depicts a bear and the words "CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC." The bear was
also familiar to many people who have lived in the western states
as the symbol of the Bank of the West before it was acquired by BNP
Paribas and subsequently, by the Bank of Montreal.

This flag, depicting a California grizzly, was originally the flag
of the California Republic, a new breakaway country that only
existed for 25 days and was never recognized by any other nation.

Wikipedia has a backstory of this flag and the republic, which was
located in the present-day Sonoma County:

> In June 1846, thirty-three American immigrants in Alta California
who had entered without official permission rebelled against the
Mexican department's government. Among their grievances were that
they had not been allowed to buy or rent land and had been
threatened with expulsion. Mexican officials had been concerned
about a coming war with the United States and the growing influx of
Americans into California. The rebellion was covertly encouraged by
U.S. Army Brevet Captain John C. Frémont, and added to the
troubles of the recent outbreak of the Mexican–American War. The
name "California Republic" appeared only on the flag the insurgents
raised in Sonoma. It indicated their aspiration of forming a
republican government under their control. The rebels elected
military officers but no civil structure was ever established.
Their flag, featuring a silhouette of a California grizzly bear,
became known as the "Bear Flag" and was later the basis for the
official state flag of California.

So, in other words, a group of undocumented immigrants decided to
rebel against the country they moved into and declared an
independent country because they were threatened with deportation!

And this is the origin of today's State of California!

=> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Republic California
Republic (Wikipedia)

=> https://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/state-symbols/flag/ Flag of
California (California Capitol Museum)

=> https://learncalifornia.org/flag-of-california/ Unlock the story
behind the flag of California (Learn California -- note: some
content may be AI-generated.)