The Californias

The Californias (Spanish: Las Californias), occasionally known as the Three Californias or the Two Californias, are a region of North America spanning the United States and Mexico. This area includes the U.S. state of California and the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur.

Historically, the term Las Californias was used to describe the vast northwestern region of Spanish America, known as the Province of the Californias. Over time, this area was divided into Baja California (Lower California) and Alta California (Upper California) after the Mexican War of Independence.

During the Mexican–American War (1846–48), Alta California was ceded from Mexico to the United States in an event known as the Conquest of California. The coastal part of this territory became the State of California when it was admitted into the Union in 1850. Other areas later became the states of Nevada, Utah, and parts of New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, and Colorado.

Today, "the Californias" refers to the American and Mexican states that share the name California. They have strong connections through geography, history, culture, and economy. The Commission of the Californias helps these three state governments work together.

Etymology

Main article: Etymology of California

The term "The Californias" has caused some confusion. Early Spanish explorers thought California was made up of several islands, so they used the plural name "Las Californias" (The Californias). Later, when they discovered it was actually a peninsula, they started calling it simply California.

As explorers moved to settle areas like San Diego and Monterey, they considered these places to be new parts of California. The peninsula became known as "Old California," while the rest was called "New California," later known as "Upper California." The old name "The Californias" was then used again, but with a clearer meaning.

History

The history of the Californias begins in 1683 when a Spanish missionary tried to start a settlement, but it wasn’t until 1697 that a lasting mission was built. This mission grew into Loreto, the first permanent town and main center of the region. Over time, Spanish missionaries built many missions along the Baja California Peninsula.

In 1767, new leaders took over the missions, and the area was given the name “Las Californias.” By 1804, it was split into two parts: Alta California to the north and Baja California to the south. After Mexico won its independence, the land stayed divided. Following the Mexican-American War, most of Alta California became part of the United States, and Baja California stayed with Mexico. Over the years, several new U.S. states were formed from this land, and Baja California was later divided into two Mexican states.

Main article: Province of Las Californias

Main articles: Mexican War of Independence, Treaty of Córdoba, First Mexican Empire, Provisional Government of Mexico, First Mexican Republic, Centralist Republic of Mexico, Santa María–Calatrava Treaty, Siete Leyes, Mexican–American War, California Republic, and Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Geography

The Baja California Peninsula is surrounded by water on three sides: the Pacific Ocean to the south and west, and the Gulf of California to the east. Alta California had the Pacific Ocean on its west and deserts on its east. The northern edge was set by the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1819, which is still the northern border of the U.S. states of California, Nevada, and part of Utah.

Largest cities

Territorial evolution

The Spanish did not explore inland areas much, so those places were not under their control. Big mountain ranges like the Peninsular Ranges, Transverse Ranges, and the Sierra Nevada, along with dry deserts such as the Colorado Desert, Mojave Desert, and Great Basin Desert, acted as natural barriers. The eastern edge of Alta California was never clearly defined by the Spanish or later by Mexico. In 1781, documents described Alta California as the land west of the Sierra Nevada and part of the area near the Lower Colorado River Valley, where the river now separates California and Arizona.