Gaspar de Portola
, 1st Governor of
the Californias
.
Don
Pio Pico
, last Governor of
Alta California
.
Below is a list of the governors of early California (1769?1850), before its admission as the 31st
U.S. state
. First explored by
Gaspar de Portola
, with colonies established at San Diego and Monterey, California was a remote, sparsely-settled Spanish province of
New Spain
. In 1822, following
Mexican independence
, California became part of Mexico.
In 1836, a coup led by
Californios
Juan Bautista Alvarado
and
Jose Castro
eventually resulted in Alvarado becoming governor.
[1]
That conflict ended in 1838, when the central government of Mexico recognized Alvarado as California Governor. The territorial
diputacion
(legislature) approved the appointment.
Another disputed governorship occurred in 1844, settled when another Californio, Pio Pico, became the last Governor of Mexican California. In 1846, the "
Bear Flag Revolt
" in
Sonoma
declared California an independent republic?the "Bear Flag Republic". No government was formed, however, and the revolt did not have time to spread very far because California came under U.S. military occupation at the outset of the
Mexican?American War
less than a month later. California was ceded to the U.S. in 1848, and was admitted as the 31st U.S. state on September 9, 1850.
Peter Burnett
, the last governor of the post-war military territory, became its first state governor after admission.
Spanish rule (1769?1822)
[
edit
]
The
Spanish Empire
established its rule in
the Californias
in 1769. During this time, the Californias encompassed a massive territorial expanse, including both
Alta California
(present day U.S. state of
California
) and
Baja California
(present day Mexican states of
Baja California
and
Baja California Sur
), which were governed under a military administration led by the Governor of the Californias. In 1804, the Californias were officially divided into two administrations: Alta California, based in
Monterey
, and Baja California, based in
Loreto
.
Spanish governors of the Californias (1769?1804)
[
edit
]
From 1769 to 1804, the Californias were governed as one administrative unit within the
Spanish Empire
. Following 1804, Alta California and Baja California each had their own administration.
Spanish governors of Alta California (1804?1822)
[
edit
]
Following the division of
the Californias
in 1804,
Alta California
came to have its own administration.
Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga
, who had served as Governor of the Californias until 1804 subsequently served as the first governor of Alta California.
Mexican rule (1822?1846)
[
edit
]
Following the
Mexican War of Independence
from the Spanish, both of
the Californias
became part of the newly independent
Mexico
in 1822. Mexican rule was interrupted from 1836 to 1838 by the
Californio
independence movement led by
Juan Bautista Alvarado
, who was acclaimed President of Alta California. However, Alvarado entered into negotiations with the Mexican government in 1838, which resulted in the disbandment of the Californio independence movement in favor of greater autonomy and the appointment of Alvarado as governor, thus reestablishing Mexican rule in Alta California, which lasted until 1846.
Mexican governors of Alta California (1822?1836)
[
edit
]
No.
|
Portrait
|
Governor
|
Took office
|
Left office
|
Notes
|
3rd
|
|
Luis Antonio Arguello
(1784?1830)
|
1822
|
1825
|
- First governor to be born in California
|
4th
|
|
Jose Maria de Echeandia
(1800s?1871)
|
1825
|
1831
|
|
5th
|
|
Manuel Victoria
(1700s?1833)
|
1831
|
1832
|
- Victoria's tenure as governor was unpopular and short-lived, owing to his anti-democratic reforms. His governorship ended following his defeat at the
Battle of Cahuenga Pass
in 1831, when
Californios
overthrew him.
|
Interim
|
|
Jose Maria de Echeandia
(1800s?1871)
|
1832
|
1833
|
|
6th
|
|
Jose Figueroa
(1792?1835)
|
1833
|
1835
|
|
Interim
|
|
Jose Castro
(1808?1860)
|
1835
|
1836
|
- Castro was nominated as interim governor after
Figuroa
resigned due to his worsening health.
|
Interim
|
|
Nicolas Gutierrez
(1700s?1800s)
|
1836
|
1836
|
- Gutierrez served as interim governor until the arrival of
Chico
.
|
7th
|
|
Mariano Chico
(1796?1850)
|
1836
|
1836
|
- Chico was exiled after a popular uprising of
Californios
against his rule.
|
Interim
|
|
Nicolas Gutierrez
(1700s?1800s)
|
1836
|
1836
|
- Gutierrez resumed his role as interim governor after
Chico
's exile from California.
- Gutierrez was soon after deposed by a popular uprising of Californios led by
Juan Bautista Alvarado
, who declared independence from Mexico and launched a civil war in California.
|
President of Alta California (1836?1837)
[
edit
]
Following the appointments of unpopular governors
Gutierrez
and
Chico
,
Juan Bautista Alvarado
successfully led a popular uprising of
Californios
in 1836 which deposed Gutierrez, proclaimed the independence of
Alta California
from Mexico, and named Alvarado as its president. Alvarado maintained effective control over California until he entered into negotiations with the Mexican central government in 1837, which resulted in the disbandment of Alta Californian independence in favor of greater autonomy from the Mexican government and recognition of Alvarado as Governor of Alta California.
No.
|
Portrait
|
Governor
|
Took office
|
Left office
|
Notes
|
1st
|
|
Juan Bautista Alvarado
(1809?1882)
|
1836
|
1837
|
- Alvarado deposed interim governor
Gutierrez
in an 1836 popular uprising of
Californios
against the Mexican central government and its appointed governors. Alvarado subsequently issued the
declaracion de la independencia de la Alta California
(Declaration of Independence of Alta California), raised a new flag, and was acclaimed as President of Alta California.
- Alvarado effectively ruled as President of Alta California from 1836 until he entered into negotiations with the Mexican central government in 1837, whereby he accepted to disband his independence movement in favor of recognition as Governor of Alta California by the Mexican central government and greater autonomy for the Californios.
|
Mexican governors of California (1837?47)
[
edit
]
While
Juan Bautista Alvarado
maintained effective control as President of Alta California from 1836 to 1837, the Mexican central government appointed noted
Californio
statesman
Carlos Antonio Carrillo
as Governor of California
[2]
to lead the nationalist offensive against Alvarado. As Carrillo was unsuccessful, Alvarado and the Mexican central government negotiated an end to the civil war in Alta California, resulting in Alvarado's abandonment of independence in favor of greater autonomy and the governorship, thus reestablishing the continuity of Mexican governance over Alta California.
No.
|
Portrait
|
Governor
|
Took office
|
Left office
|
Notes
|
Nominated
|
|
Carlos Antonio Carrillo
(1783?1852)
|
1837
|
1837
|
- Carrillo was nominated as governor by the Mexican central government in 1837 to lead nationalists forces to subdue
Alvarado
's government and reestablish Mexican control over Alta California.
- As Carrillo was unable to establish effective control over Alta California, the Mexican central government entered into negotiations with Alvarado resulting in his Carrillo's dismissal.
|
8th
|
|
Juan Bautista Alvarado
(1809?1882)
|
1837
|
1842
|
- Following negotiations with the Mexican central government in 1837, Alvarado disbanded his independence movement and was appointed as governor, in exchange for greater autonomy for Californios.
|
9th
|
|
Manuel Micheltorena
(1804?1853)
|
1842
|
1845
|
|
10th
|
|
Pio Pico
(1801?1894)
|
1845
|
1846
|
- In the aftermath of the
Battle of Providencia
, Pico was acclaimed governor.
- Following the American
Conquest of California
, the administration of Alta California came under control of the U.S. Military Governor of California.
|
Nominated
|
|
Jose Maria Flores
(1818?1866)
|
1846
|
1847
|
|
American rule
[
edit
]
Following the American
Conquest of California
, forces part of the
Pacific Squadron
and
California Battalion
established U.S. military rule in California, beginning in 1846. Military governors ruled California until 1849, when efforts led by
Bennet C. Riley
led to the creation of the
Constitution of California
at the
Constitutional Convention of Monterey
and the establishment of civilian rule with the election of
Peter Hardeman Burnett
as the first
Governor of California
. Soon after,
California was admitted as a state
.
U.S. military governors of California (1846?1849)
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Wikisource
has original text related to this article:
- ^
Robert R. Miller (1998).
Juan Alvarado, Governor of California, 1836?1842
. University of Oklahoma Press.
- ^
"Memoria Politica de Mexico"
.
- ^
Bandini, Helen Elliott (1908).
History of California
. New York: American Book Company. p. 292
. Retrieved
5 May
2024
.
Bibliography
[
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]
External links
[
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]