1. In 1753, the first non-native settlement in California, now known as San Francisco, was founded by Lieutenant José Joaquín Moraga and Francisco Palóu. The settlement was built on a hill overlooking a small bay and named after Saint Francis of Assisi.

2. On November 1, 1854, the first airmail flight took place in California. John Montgomery, a glider enthusiast, launched a glider from the hill at Otay Mesa to deliver a letter to San Diego. While the flight lasted only a few minutes, it marked the beginning of a new era in postal delivery.

3. In 1952, the first hydrogen bomb was tested at the Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The bomb, known as "Ivy Mike," was developed by the United States during the Cold War era. The test resulted in the largest man-made explosion in history up until that time.

4. On November 1, 1966, the California State Legislature passed the Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act, which radically changed the way the state dealt with mental health patients. The LPS Act established new criteria for involuntary commitment and set up administrative procedures to protect the civil rights of mental health patients.

5. In 2007, a massive wildfire swept through Southern California, burning over 500,000 acres of land and destroying thousands of homes. The fire, which was sparked by a downed power line, was one of the worst in California history and had a significant impact on the state's economy and environment.