My life began in California. I was born on October 1993. California has been part of the United States for 165 years. During this whole time it has been a State of opportunities. Most of my family came from Guatemala to live in California in 1975. I was christened into the Catholic church when I was 6 months old. My god parents and most of my aunts are still living in Los Angeles. As a baby I did not stay but I hope to go one day soon. The story of my family coming from Guatemala to L..A. is evidence of the strong Latin American culture of the State and the pull of economic opportunities.
California was part of New Spain and Mexico in the 1700s and early 1800s, but it became a United States territory as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ends the Mexican-American War in 1847. One year later gold was found in California. After the gold was found, a lot of people began to immigrate to California from different countries and states. In 1849 miners traveled by sea and over land to came to California to get gold leaving a whole life behind . California soon became part of the Union as the 31st State and it was a free state. There was no need for slavery because all immigrants had an opportunity to become wealthy off the resources of the land and the growing cities.
Since the 1850s California has been a place where people came to work and get money. Because of this California today has a big population and economic diversity. People came from everywhere and continue to come to California today from all over the world.
