1556-Abdication of Charles V.

Philip II, King of Spain.

1579 Sir Francis Drake visits California.

1598-Philip III, King of Spain.

1602-Vizcaino visits sites of San Diego and Monterey.

1621-Philip IV, King of Spain.

1665-Carlos II, King of Spain. 1697-Pious Fund founded.

1700-Philip V, King of Spain. 1745-Russians visit California.

1759-Carlos III, King of Spain.

1767-Carlos III banishes Jesuits from Spanish territory.

1768-Father Junipero Serra appointed president of the missions.
1769-Gaspar de Portolá, Governor of California.

Gaspar de Portolá and Father Serra arrive at San Diego.
Mission of San Diego de Alcala founded at San Diego.
Presidio of San Diego founded.

1770–Portolá takes possession of California in name of Carlos III.
Mission of San Carlos de Borromeo founded at Monterey.
Presidio of Monterey founded.

1771-Mission of San Carlos de Rio Carmel founded at Carmel. Mission of San Antonio de Padua founded at Kings City. Mission of San Gabriel Arcangel founded at San Gabriel.

Felipe de Barri, Governor of California.

1772-Mission of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa founded at San Luis Obispo. 1774-Felipe de Neve, Governor of California.

1776-Mission of San Francisco de Asis (Dolores) founded at San Francisco. Presidio of San Francisco founded.

Mission of San Juan Capistrano founded at Capistrano.

1777-San Jose founded.

Mission of Santa Clara de Asis founded at Santa Clara.

1781-Mission of Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles founded at Los Angeles. Pueblo of Los Angeles founded.

1872-Mission of San Buenaventura founded at Ventura.

Presidio of Santa Barbara founded.

Pedro Fajes, Governor of California.

1784 Death of Father Serra.

1786-Mission of Santa Barbara founded at Santa Barbara.
1787-Mission of La Purisima Concepcion founded near Lompoc.
1788-Carlos IV, King of Spain.

1791-José Antonio Romeu, Governor of California.

Mission of Santa Cruz founded at Santa Cruz.

Mission of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad founded at Soledad.

1792-José Joaquin de Arrillaga, Governor of California. 1796 "Otter"-First American Vessel visits Monterey. 1797-Mission of San Jose de Guadalupe founded at Irvington. Mission of San Juan Bautista founded at San Juan. Mission of San Miguel Arcangel founded at San Miguel. Mission of San Fernando Rey de Espagna founded at Fernando.

1798 Mission of San Luis Rey de Francia founded at Oceanside. 1804-Mission of Santa Ynez founded near Gaviota.

Alta California made a province.

1805 Russians visit California.

1808 Ferdinand VII, King of Spain.

1809 California swears allegiance to Ferdinand VII.
1811-Mexico revolts from Spain.
1812-Russians settle on Bodega Bay.

Great earthquake of 1812.

1814-Jose Dario Arguello, Governor of California.

1815-Mission of San Antonio de Pala founded near Fallbrook. Palo Vicente de Sola, Governor of California.

1817-Mission of San Rafael Arcangel founded at San Rafael.

1820-Spanish Constitution sworn in California.

1821-Decree of Spanish Cortes ordering secularization of missions published in California.

1822-Iturbide, Emperor of Mexico.

Alta California gives allegiance to Mexico.

Luis Antonio Arguello, Governor of California.

1823-Mission of San Francisco Solano founded at Sonoma.

Iturbide abdicates.

1824 California receives representation in Mexican Congress. 1825-Guerrero, President of Mexico.

José Maria de Echandia, Governor of California. 1830-Hudson Bay Company operates in Northern California. 1831-Manuel Victoria, Governor of California.

President Guerrero executed.
Governor Victoria deposed.

1832-Pio Pico, Governor of California.

1833-José Figueroa, Governor of California.

1834-General Santa Ana, Dictator of Mexico.

1835-José Castro, Governor of California.

1836 Nicholas Gutierrez, Governor of California, ad interim.
Mariano Chico, Governor of California.

Nicholas Gutierrez, Governor of California, ad interim.
Juan Bautista Alvarado, Governor of California.

1837-Bustamente, President of Mexico.

Mexico adopts Constitution of 1837.

1839 Sutter's Fort erected.

Great earthquake of 1839.

1840-Secularization of missions completed. 1841-Restoration of Santa Anna.

First emigrant train arrives under Bidwell.

1842-Manuel Micheltorena, Governor of California.

Commodore Jones raises United States flag at Monterey for one day. 1844-Herrera, President of Mexico.

1845 Jas. K. Polk, President of United States.

Pio Pico, Governor of California.

Los Angeles, Capital of California. United States annexes Texas. 1846-Paredes, President of Mexico.

Bravo, President of Mexico.

War with Mexico.

Bear flag revolt.

Sloat raises American flag at Monterey.

John D. Sloat, Military Governor of California.

Santa Anna, President of Mexico.

Robert F. Stockton, Military Governor of California.

"The Californian," first newspaper in California, published at Monterey. 1847-Yerba Buena assumes the name of San Francisco.

John C. Fremont, Military Governor of California.

Stephen W. Kearny, Military Governor of California.
General Scott captures city of Mexico.

Richard B. Mason, Military Governor of California.
Donner Party perishes.

1848-Treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo.

California ceded to United States.

Gold discovered in California.

1849--Zachary Taylor, President of United States.
Bennet Riley, Military Governor of California.
San Jose, Capital of California.

First Constitutional Convention at Monterey.
Constitution of 1849 adopted.

Peter H. Burnett, Governor of California.

First Pacific Mail Steamship arrives at San Francisco.

1850-Counties of Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Los Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba created.

Los Angeles chartered.

San Jose chartered.

California admitted into the Union.

Millard Fillmore, President of the United States.
Foreign Miners' License Act adopted.

1851-Great fire at San Francisco.

First Vigilance Committee at San Francisco.

John McDougal, Governor of California.

Nevada and Placer Counties created.

Vallejo, capital of California.

1852-John Bigler, Governor of California.

Sierra, Siskiyou and Tulare Counties created.

Oakland incorporated.

Sacramento, capital of California.

Great flood at Sacramento.

Pierce and King carry California.

1853-Franklin Pierce, President of United States.

Alameda, Humboldt and San Bernardino Counties created.

Benicia, capital of California.

College of California founded at Oakland.

1854-John Bigler, Governor of California (second term). Oakland chartered.

Sacramento, capital of California.

Amador and Plumas Counties created.

People v. Hall, decided by Supreme Court. 1855-J. Neely Johnson, Governor of California. Merced County created.

1856 James King of William murdered.

Second Vigilance Committee at San Francisco.
Fresno, San Mateo and Tehama Counties created.
Buchanan and Breckenridge carry California.

Sacramento Valley Railroad opened-First Railroad in California. 1857-James Buchanan, President of United States.

Del Norte County created.

Dred Scott decision.

1858 John B. Weller, Governor of California. 1859 Pony Express established.

Broderick-Terry duel.

1860-Milton S. Latham, Governor of California. John G. Downey, Governor of California. Lincoln and Hamlin carry California.

1861-Lake and Mono Counties created.

Abraham Lincoln, President of United States.
Civil War commences.

Telegraph completed to San Francisco.
Specific Contract Act passed.

1862-Leland Stanford, Governor of California.
Union Pacific Railroad chartered.

Central Pacific Railroad chartered. 1863-Frederick F. Low, Governor of California. 1864-Alpine, Stanislaus and Lassen Counties created. Lincoln and Johnson carry California.

1865 Abraham Lincoln, President of United States (second term). Lincoln assassinated.

Andrew Johnson, President of United States.

Great earthquake of 1865.

Southern Pacific Company incorporated in Kentucky.

1866 Inyo and Kern Counties created.

1867-Henry H. Haight, Governor of California.
1868-Burlingame Treaty between United States and China.

University of California chartered.

Great earthquake of 1868.

Grant and Colfax carry California.

1869 U. S. Grant, President of United States.

Central Pacific completed to Oakland.

First train from Atlantic coast reaches Sacramento.

1871-Newton Booth, Governor of California.

1872-Codes adopted.

Ventura County created.

San Diego incorporated.

Grant and Wilson carry California.

1873-U. S. Grant, President of the United States (second term).

Panic of 1873.

1874-Modoc and San Benito Counties created.

1875-Romualdo Pacheco, Governor of California.

William Irwin, Governor of California.

1876-Southern Pacific Railroad completed to Los Angeles. Hayes and Wheeler carry California.

1877-R. B. Hayes, President of United States.

Comstock collapse.

Kearney Riots in San Francisco. 1879-Constitution of 1879 adopted.

1880 Geo. C. Perkins, Governor of California. Hancock and English carry California.

1881-Jas. A. Garfield, President of United States. Garfield assassinated.

Chester A. Arthur, President of United States.

Exclusion Treaty with China.

1882-Geary Exclusion Act passed.

1883-Geo. Stoneman, Governor of California.

1884-United States issues final patents for pueblo lands in San Francisco. Blaine and Logan carry California.

1885 Stanford University founded.

Grover Cleveland, President of United States.
Santa Fe Railroad completed to Los Angeles.
Fresno chartered.

1886 Washington Bartlett, Governor of California.
1887-Robert W. Waterman, Governor of California.
1888-Harrison and Morton carry California.
1889-Benjamin Harrison, President of United States.
Orange County created.

1890-Colton v. Stanford decided.

1891-H. H. Markham, Governor of California.

Glenn County created.

1892-Cleveland and Stevenson carry California.

1893 Grover Cleveland, President of United States (second term). Kings, Madera and Riverside Counties created.

Panic of 1893.

1894-California Midwinter International Exposition at San Francisco. 1895-Jas. H. Budd, Governor of California.

1896-McKinley and Hobart carry California.

1897-William McKinley, President of United States.

1898-United States annexes Philippine Islands.

1899-Henry T. Gage, Governor of California.

1900-McKinley and Roosevelt carry California.