1. In 1847, the Bear Flag Revolt was sparked in Sonoma, California. A group of American settlers and European expatriates overthrew Mexican rule in California and declared an independent California Republic. The flag they raised featured a grizzly bear and a red star.

2. In 1914, the Ford Motor Company established an assembly plant in Richmond, California. The plant was notable for its use of assembly line techniques and for employing a large number of African American workers, who had migrated to the area during World War I.

3. In 1933, construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The bridge was completed in 1937 and became an iconic symbol of California and the United States.

4. In 1969, the trial of the "Chicago Seven" began in Chicago, Illinois. The group, including left-wing activists Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, were charged with conspiracy and inciting a riot during protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The trial would later become a symbol of the era's political and social upheaval.

5. In 1998, a major El Niño event brought heavy rainfall and floods to California. The flooding caused billions of dollars in damage and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. The event also led to increased awareness of the potential impact of climate change on California's weather patterns.