REPUBLICS

California’s short-lived sovereignty ended 175 years ago this month when it was annexed by the U.S. Today we look back at the Bear Flag Revolt and other states that had ...

California's republic

The Bear Flag Republic was in a small portion of Mexican land in Northern California in June and July of 1846.

In April 1846, Mexican Gov. Jose Castro proclaimed that the acquisition of land by foreigners who had not been naturalized as Mexicans would be void. As word spread of the edict and rumors swirled of Native Americans being encouraged to burn crops of non-Mexicans, the foreign settlers began to organize with the advice of U.S. Army Capt. John C. Fremont.

On June 9, 1846, American immigrants near Sonoma took up arms and captured a number of members of the Mexican military and their horses. There was little resistance and Mexico had the least amount of its military presence in Northern California. On June 14, 1846, settlers arrived at the Sonoma headquarters of Gen. Mariano Vallejo. The men took Vallejo prisoner and declared California to be an independent republic. The Bear Flag Party raised its flag in Sonoma and declared California free from Mexican rule.

Commodore John Drake Sloat and several U.S. Navy ships sailed into Monterey Bay and took the Mexican base without a skirmish. They raised the American flag on July 7, 1846. On July 9, the Bear flag in Sonoma was hauled down and the American flag raised in its place. The militia became organized under U.S. command. The Bear Flag Revolt was over, but the Mexican-American War was well under way.

The California Republic lasted 25 days and was never recognized by another nation.

Several limited battles were fought in California until Mexican forces were beaten at San Gabriel and La Mesa. The Californicos, Mexican nationals, surrendered to American forces and signed the Treaty of Cahuenga on Jan. 13, 1847. The treaty called for both nationalities to assimilate into the U.S. and was upheld with the treaty that ended the Mexican-American War in 1848.