It never had a territorial form of government. Californians sought statehood in 1849, generating heated debate in Congress over the issue of slavery. William Tecumseh Sherman was posted in San Francisco during the Mexican War. He later became a widely feared and hated Union general during the Civil War. Here's a brief list of important dates in California history.
Red text denotes events relating primarily to Spain or Mexico.
Carbrillo explored San Diego Bay and the area farther north along the coast. VizcaNno, another Spaniard, explored the coast and Monterey Bay. 1769 Gaspar de Portol , governor of the Californias, led an expedition up the Pacific coast and established a colony and California's first mission on San Diego Bay. He later established a presidio at Monterey, which became the capital of Alta California. 1776 Juan Bautista de Anza founded San Francisco in the year the United States was born.