Las Californias is a name given in the past to the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur in Mexico and the state of California in the United States. The first European to sight the California region was the pilot navigator Fortún Jiménez who guided Hernán Cortés. At the time of Cortez' arrival, the region was occupied by a wide variety of Native American peoples, and may have had contact with Asian exploreres and traders.
History
After Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sailed in the Pacific Ocean in 1542 following the coast of the Baja California peninsula (beyond 40° North latitude), he named the discovered territory Nueva California (New California) as opposed to Vieja California (Old California) the coasts of which had already been sailed and explored. The first city where Spanish was spoken in Las Californias was in Loreto, which became the first capital of the territory. Nowadays, the capital city of California is Sacramento; Baja California's capital is Mexicali and Baja California Sur's capital is La Paz.
Colonization
The missions colonizing period began during the 17th century and ended shortly after the independence of Mexico in 1821. The territories were divided between Alta California and Baja California. Alta California included the present states of Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and portions of Texas, Utah and Colorado, until control of the missions was given to Francisco Palou (upon Junípero Serra's departure in 1773) and was located in the present popululated Playas de Rosarito, to 25 km of the present U.S.-Mexico border. That border served to divide the misionales territories of Dominican Franciscanos (Franciscan establishments) and, after the expulsion of the Jesuitas missionaries (see Jesuit missions) in 1768.
Division
As a result of the Mexican–American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Mexico lost Alta California (California, Nevada and Oregon). Mexico had to reorganize the territory Baja California peninsula into two districts, North District of Baja California and South District of Baja California. Both districts in time would receive the names of the North Territory of Baja California and the South Territory of Baja California. Eventually each territory would become part of Mexican state system (Estados Unidos Mexicanos), Baja California and Baja California Sur.
