California was admitted to the Union on September 9th 1850. Its admittance was the consequence of the Mexican American War, and the subsequent discovery of gold in California. The search for gold brought thousands of settlers to California, despite the great difficulty getting there. Once the territory had grown to the requisite population size, navigating the steps to admit California to the Union remained a major challenge. While opponents of the Mexican-American War from the North were concerned by the prospect of additional slave states joining the Union, California was not going to be a slave state. California's population came overwhelmingly from Northern states. In addition, California's economy was not suitable for slavery. Ironically, despite their enthusiasm for the war, the South ended up getting hurt as a by-product. Once the Compromise of 1850 was passed by Congress the government of California wasted no time in becoming a state.

The dreams of many came true when California entered the Union. The U.S. was now a continental power, with states spreading from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Manifest Destiny was close to being fulfilled.