1. On November 16, 1849, the first California state constitutional convention convened in Monterey. The constitution that they drafted was eventually ratified in 1850, making California the 31st state in the United States.

2. In 1914, the first freight and passenger train crossed the newly-built Panama Canal Railroad, connecting the East and West coasts of the United States. The train, which departed from New York City, arrived in San Francisco on November 16th after a journey of over 10,000 miles.

3. On November 16, 1933, the first major conservation effort in California history was carried out with the creation of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Covering over 600,000 acres, the park is the largest state park in California and one of the largest in the United States.

4. In 1954, the iconic Disneyland Hotel opened in Anaheim, California. The hotel, which is still in operation today, was one of the first Disneyland Resort hotels and has hosted countless guests over the years.

5. November 16, 2006 marked the end of a 20-year battle over land rights between the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and the state of California. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that tribal governments have the right to operate casinos on their land, leading to the explosion of the Indian gaming industry in California and across the United States.