What are the most important dates in California history?

The following are some of the most important dates in California history:

* 1542: Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo becomes the first European to land in California

* 1769: Gaspar de Portolá leads the first overland expedition into California

* 1776: The Spanish Empire founds the Presidio of San Francisco

* 1781: Los Angeles is founded by a group of Spanish settlers

* 1821: California becomes part of the independent Republic of Mexico

* 1846: The United States declares war on Mexico

* 1848: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican-American War and California becomes part of the United States

* 1849: The California Gold Rush begins

* 1850: California is admitted to the Union as the 31st state

* 1869: The First Transcontinental Railroad is completed, connecting California to the rest of the United States

* 1906: The San Francisco Earthquake and Fire destroys much of the city

* 1915: The Panama Canal is completed, making it easier for ships to travel to California from the East Coast

* 1928: The St. Francis Dam collapses, killing over 400 people

* 1933: The Golden Gate Bridge is completed

* 1941: The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, leading the United States into World War II

* 1960: The California Aqueduct is completed, providing water to Southern California from the Sierra Nevada mountains

* 1965: The Watts Riots erupt in Los Angeles, sparking a wave of civil unrest in California

* 1967: The Summer of Love takes place in San Francisco, attracting thousands of young people to the city

* 1969: The first moon landing takes place, with two of the astronauts being from California

* 1972: The Clean Air Act is passed, leading to significant improvements in air quality in California

* 1989: The Loma Prieta earthquake shakes the Bay Area, causing significant damage

* 1992: The Los Angeles Riots erupt after a police officer is acquitted of beating Rodney King

* 1994: Proposition 187, which would have denied undocumented immigrants access to public services, is passed by California voters but later overturned by the courts

* 2008: California becomes the first state in the United States to legalize same-sex marriage

* 2018: The Camp Fire becomes the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, killing 85 people and destroying over 150,000 acres of land