Alta California ("Upper California") was formed in 1804 when the province of California, then a part of the Spanish colony of New Spain, was divided in two along the line separating the Franciscan missions in the north from the Dominican missions in the south. The southern part became the territory of Baja California. The two territories were also alternatively called "California Nueva" (Alta) and "California Vieja" (Baja).
Alta California — covering the land occupied by the modern-day U.S. states of California, Nevada, Utah, northern Arizona and southwestern Wyoming — was recognized as one of the constituent territories of the newly independent United Mexican States with the adoption of the 1824 Constitution following its War of Independence and short-lived First Empire. During the Mexican-American War of 1846–48 and following the brief interlude of the proclaimed independent California Republic, Alta California was successfully invaded by the United States.
The territory was ceded to the U.S. under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
The last Mexican Governor of California was Pío Pico, who served until 1846.
In the second half of the 19th century, there was a San Francisco-based newspaper called the Alta California (or sometimes the Alta Californian).
Ranchos of California
Under Spanish rule, all lands in California were claimed by the king of Spain, who granted them to the Catholic Church and to individuals. When California came under control of the Mexican government the missions were secularized and the governors gained the power to grant state lands. Few ranchos stayed intact for long, either growing or shrinking, or changing hands entirely depending on the fortunes of the owners. Some of the more famous ranchos and their descendent communities:
Rancho la Ballona, owned by the Machado and Talamantes families
-Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Inglewood, and the Ocean Park district of Santa Monica.
Rancho Boca de Santa Monica
-Santa Monica
Rancho de las Pulgas, to Luis Antonio Argüello
Rancho San Antonio, granted 1810 by the King of Spain to Antonio María Lugo , maximum size: 29,513 acres (119 km²).
-Bell Gardens, Commerce, and parts of Bell, Cudahy, Lynwood, Montebello, South Gate, Vernon and East Los Angeles.
Rancho San Lorenzo, granted in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Guillermo Castro . 26,722 acres (108 km²)
-Hayward, Castro Valley
Rancho San Lorenzo Baja Rancho in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Francisco Soto
-San Lorenzo
Rancho San Rafael, granted 1798 by the King of Spain to Jose Maria Verdugo
-Glendale, Atwater Village, Eagle Rock, and Highland Park
Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica
-Santa Monica
Rancho Soscol, granted 1844 by Governor Pio Pico to Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
-Vallejo and Petaluma
See also
For the Spanish and Mexican control of Alta California
For Russian colonization of Northern California
For the transition to control by the United States
