people to unite themselves
with the Republic.

1845--In the winter of 1845-1846 Fremont again leads a party to
Sutter's Fort, and on toward the coast. He is ordered out; proceeds up
for Oregon, and is recalled, May 8, 1846, into California by a naval
officer with dispatches for him.

1846--June, 1846, American settlers and adventurers, in the
neighborhood of Sutter's Fort, revolt against the Mexican government of
California; June 14 they capture Sonoma, north of San Francisco, where
they raise the Bear Flag and proclaim California to be an independent
republic. Fremont aids the revolution.

1846--Following news of war between the United States and Mexico, on
July 7, 1846, Commodore John D. Sloat raises the American flag over
Monterey; on July 9 it is raised over San Francisco and Sonoma; on July
11, over Sutter's Fort; on August 13, Los Angeles is invested, and the
flag raised there.

1847--After several engagements between the American forces and the
Californians, on January 13, 1847, by the treaty of Cahuenga the
Californians agree to lay down their arms.

1848--By the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the United States and
Mexico, at the close of the Mexican War, and ratified at Washington,
March 16, 1848, California is ceded to the United States.

1848--James Marshall, in the employ of Captain Sutter, while washing
out a mill-race at Coloma, on the American River, about thirty miles
west of Sutter's Fort, on January 24, 1848, discovers flakes of gold.
The news spreads; it reaches Monterey, the capital, May 29, and creates
intense excitement. In December the news officially reaches
Washington, by communication from General Richard B. Mason and former
consul James O. Larkin, and is included in President Polk's message to
Congress. During 1848 $10,000,000 in gold is gathered by miners in
California.

1849--In the spring of 1849 20,000 people are collected at the Missouri
River, prepared to start overland 2000 miles to the California gold
fields. More than 30,000 people make the land pilgrimage this year.
Others sail around Cape Horn. Many others choose to cross the Isthmus
of Panama, and reach the Pacific that way. The first shipload of gold
seekers arrive in San Francisco February 28, 1849. San Francisco,
formerly the hamlet of Yerba Buena (Good Herb), leaps from a population
of 500 to one of 15,000, and the harbor has 500 vessels at anchor,
flying all flags. In 1849 $40,000,000 of gold is taken f