California

About California

California (ˌkælɪˈfɔrnjə) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, and Arizona to the southeast, as well as by Baja California in Mexico to the south. The most populous U.S. state, California's capital city is Sacramento, and its four largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco. California is known for its varied climate and geography, as well as for its ethnically diverse population. The state is divided into 58 counties.

Before becoming a part of the United States, Alta California was colonized by the Spanish Empire, beginning in 1769. Alta California became a part of the newly independent nation of Mexico in 1821, and remained so until 1846. That year, an independent California Republic was declared. The Republic's first and only president was William B. Ide, who played a pivotal role during the Bear Flag Revolt. His term lasted twenty-five days and concluded when California was occupied by U.S. forces during the Mexican-American War. Under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848, Mexico formally ceded California to the United States. California was admitted to the Union as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

California is the third largest U.S. state by land area; it contains a diverse geography, which ranges from the sandy and rocky beaches of the Pacific coast, to the rugged snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains in the east, to desert areas in the southeast and the forests of the northwest. The center portion of the state is dominated by the Central Valley, one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world and the largest of any U.S. state. The Sierra Nevada mountains contain Yosemite Valley, famous for its glacially-carved domes, and Sequoia National Park, home to the giant sequoia trees, the largest living organisms on Earth. The state is home to Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States, as well as the second lowest and hottest place in the Western Hemisphere, Death Valley. Many of the trees located in the California White Mountains are the oldest in the world; one Bristlecone pine has an age of 4,700 years.

The California Gold Rush began in 1848, dramatically changing California with a large influx of people and an economic boom. The early 20^th century was marked by Los Angeles becoming the center of the entertainment industry, in addition to the growth of a large tourism sector in the state. Along with California's prosperous agricultural industry, other industries include aerospace, petroleum, and computer and information technology. California ranks among the ten largest economies in the world, and were it a separate country, it would be 34^th amongst the most populous countries, just behind Poland, as well as the world's sixth-largest economy.

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Quotes about California

“ Many people asked me why I could not build the temple in California or in major centres like New York or New Jersey. I told them about the darshan. ”
In US: Controversial swami held for theft
“ Confirmation hearings for Kagan are scheduled to begin on Monday. AU pointed to specific incidents from Kagan's record: * In August 1996, while working for the White House, Kagan expressed dismay about a California Supreme Court decision that required a landlord to rent an apartment to an unmarried couple – in accordance with California civil rights law – in spite of the landlord's religious objections. Kagan said the court's decision to say that the civil rights law did not substantially burden the landlord's religion was ”
Elena Kagan in Americans United Urges Senate Panel To Question Kagan On Church-State Views

Mentioned In 101 Articles
Sikhs in America Meet US Vice President

Explore Article Chakra News (Jul 23 2010)

...urban and other religious symbols. The meeting took place in Silicon Valley between Sikh leaders in California and Biden while Biden was there to raise money for the re-election of Democratic Senator, Barbara B... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: California Washington Taliban
Indian-American politicians draw backlash for Christian conversion

Explore Article Homepage at Kentucky.com (Jul 17 2010) Human Rights

...lip Singh Saund, a Sikh, in 1957 became the first Indian-American elected to Congress, representing California. At least five Indian-Americans, most of them Hindu, are expected to run for Congress this fall, fr... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: New York California America
Group Calls For Painting To Be Removed From Show At Sacramento Law Library

Explore Article Religion Clause (Jul 16 2010)

The Sacramento (CA) Public Law Library is hosting an art show sponsored by California Lawyers for the Arts. According to today's Sacramento Bee, the 63-piece display, titled "A Creative... (Read Full Article)

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Appeal To 9th Circuit Filed In Challenge To Religion At Community College

Explore Article Religion Clause (Jul 14 2010)

An appeal was filed with the 9th Circuit yesterday in Westphal v. Wagner, a federal lawsuit against California's South Orange County Community College District challenging the practice at Saddleback College in ... (Read Full Article)

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Calif. Community College Should Not Impose Religion at Public Events, Americans United Tells Appeals Court

Explore Article Americans United (Jul 13 2010) Separation of Church & State

... United for Separation of Church and State has asked a federal appeals court to stop a Southern California community college from proselytizing and imposing prayers at public events. The legal action comes ... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: Washington Barry W. Lynn Americans United
Pride and Concern Follow Success of Indian-Americans

Explore Article Post-Gazette NOW (Jul 10 2010) Human Rights

...t least five Indian-Americans, most of them Hindu, are expected to run for Congress this fall, from California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Yet like it or not, Nikki Haley and her critics may be pa... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: Nikki Haley Dalip Singh Saund Washington
Must Sikhs, Hindus convert to get elected? | National Catholic ...

Explore Article National Catholic Reporter (Jul 2 2010)

...es Raj Goyle, D-Kan., and Surya Yalamanchili, D-Ohio, and Kamala Harris, a Republican candidate for California attorney general, did not return phone calls and e-mails. While religion and ethnicity pique intere... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: Nikki Haley Reshma Saujani Washington
Prop 8 Opponents Say CLS v. Martinez Supports Them

Explore Article Religion Clause (Jun 30 2010)

...wyers made their closing argument in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a federal constitutional challenge to California's Proposition 8 that bans same-sex marriage. A decision has not yet been handed down in the case. (... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: California Christian Legal Society
Nikki Haley's Win: A Victory For Assimilation, Not Acceptance

Explore Article politicsdaily.com (Jun 25 2010)

... Congressional District; and Ami Bera, a physician who is challenging incumbent Rep. Dan Lungren in California's 3rd CD. Also in California, Kamala Harris, the child of an Indian mother and black father, won the Democratic nomination for s... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: Nikki Haley Sikh Reshma Saujani
Americans United Urges Senate Panel To Question Kagan On Church-State Views

Explore Article Americans United (Jun 23 2010) Separation of Church & State

...gan’s record: * In August 1996, while working for the White House, Kagan expressed dismay about a California Supreme Court decision that required a landlord to rent an apartment to an unmarried couple – in ac... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: U.S. Senate Elena Kagan Thurgood Marshall
Record Number of Indian Candidates Seeking Office,

Explore Article Savannah News, Sports, and Weather (Jun 19 2010)

...dian-American candidate for Congress. Today there are six, including Goyle and Trivedi. Ami Bera in California, Ravi Sangisetty in Louisiana and Reshma Saujani in New York face upcoming primaries, and Surya Yal... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: Iraq Reshma Saujani New York
Trial Judge Hears Closing Arguments In Challenge To California's Prop 8

Explore Article Religion Clause (Jun 17 2010)

... Walker heard closing arguments in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the federal constitutional challenge to California's Proposition 8 that bans same-sex marriage. The Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle re... (Read Full Article)

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HAF Quoted in India WEst

Explore Article Welcome to IndiaWest.com (Jun 14 2010)

...e is the largest purchaser of textbooks in the nation, and can influence publishers’ decisions. The California state Senate has passed a measure which will require the Board of Education to examine any discrepa... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: Sikh Coalition U.S. Senate Thurgood Marshall
Gangs Using Rosaries As Identifiers

Explore Article Religion Clause (Jun 14 2010)

...t only wear certain colors, but they also arrange beads to signal their rank. Jared Lewis, a former California police officer, says that rosaries are most popular among Latino gang members. He says that the Lat... (Read Full Article)

Comment on Article Mentions: New York San Antonio California
A New Paradigm for Theological Education

Explore Article huffingtonpost.com (Jun 9 2010)

...re places of worship for Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist communities. In states like California there is no majority race, ethnicity, or religion. Similar demographic shifts, while uneven across ... (Read Full Article)

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