[1850] - California admitted to the Union

As the Mexican War ended in February 1848 a huge section of the American Southwest, including California, was ceded to the United States. In addition, gold had been discovered on the American River near Sacramento. The subsequent gold rush produced a rapid increase in population and hastened California’s admittance to the Union. On 9 September 1850, after heated debates in the US Congress, California entered the Union.

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