9 th September

1754 William Bligh was born. (See April 28th entry.)

1776 The United Colonies became the United States.

1850 California became a state.

This is California’s birthday. Or more exactly, this is the anniversary of California’s admission to the United States as the thirty-first state. Gold had been discovered the year before California became a state, in 1850, and the rush continues today. The richest state in the world’s richest nation inspires many Americans and immigrants to seek to fulfill the American dreams of fame, glory, wealth, and the good life along California’s sunny coast.

We generally observe the United States’ birthday on the Fourth of July. But if you want to be technical, we didn’t become the United States until this day. In 1776, the Continental Congress decided to change the name of the rebellious United Colonies to the United States. So today is indeed the United States’ birthday—at least in name.