California admitted as 31st U.S. state

Background. Following the U.S. conquest of California during the Mexican-American War, the territory was ceded to the United States in 1848 via the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The westernmost portion of this annexed territory became the American state of California, while the remainder was subdivided into other territories. The gold rush beginning in 1848 led to significant demographic changes, with the settler population multiplying to 100,000 by the time of California's application for statehood in 1850.

Legislative Process. The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five bills passed by Congress in September 1850 to defuse tensions between slave and free states. A key provision approved California's request to enter the Union as a free state. This legislative action was part of a broader solution that included the Fugitive Slave Act and the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia, addressing issues arising from territories acquired during the Mexican-American War.

Admission. On September 9, 1850, California became a free state as part of the Compromise of 1850. This date is celebrated as a state holiday. The admission was formalized through congressional action, reflecting the political compromises of the era. While Sacramento became California's first incorporated city in February 1850, the admission itself was an act of Congress in Washington, not a local event in Sacramento.