In some ways, James Wilson Marshall of New Jersey is responsible for California’s statehood. Marshall was a carpenter who in 1848 was hired by John Sutter to build a sawmill in Coloma, California. On the morning of January 24, 1848 while examining the bed of the river that flowed through the property, Marshall spotted some shiny flecks in the channel bed and upon closer examination determined them to be gold. The California Gold Rush brought nearly half a million prospectors to California from throughout the U.S. and the world, and resulted in the general development of the state, the creation of a system of laws and government, and, in 1850, statehood.
At a robust $1.812 trillion, California’s GSP is the largest in the United States and outstrips the GDP of all but eight countries on Earth. The state’s income is heavily dependent on the income tax paid by a small percentage of its wealthiest residents, and recent economic declines have cut into that take, but industries such as television and motion picture production, aerospace technology, agriculture, computer development, and wine production continue to shore up the Golden State’s earnings during the downturn. Most jobs in California are in the trade, transportation, utilities, government, education and health services industries while the overall economy relies on trade and international commerce for about a quarter of its income.
Roads
Interstate 5: From Canada to Mexico, I-5 is the major north/south Interstate Highway on America’s west coast passing through cities such as Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. In California, I-5 travels a total of 797 miles and is known by various names in various parts of the state including the San Diego Freeway, the John J. Montgomery Freeway, and the Santa Ana Freeway.
Interstate 10: I-10 is the major east/west Interstate in the southern United States travelling from Santa Monica to Florida. The various stretches of I-10 contained within California have been given names such as The Santa Monica Freeway, the Rosa Parks Freeway, the San Bernardino Freeway, and the Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway.
Interstate 15: The fourth-longest highway in America, 1-15 is an essential north/south long-haul route for the commerce of North America as it spans the gap between Mexico, the United States, and Canada. In California, I-15 cuts through the Mojave Desert area and is seeing more traffic as that area becomes more populous.
Interstate 80: Second in length only to I-90 among America’s Interstate Highways, I-80 travels from San Francisco to New Jersey. Its 199 California miles cut through the Bay Area to neighboring Nevada.