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Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as Nueva California ('New California') among other names, [a] was a province of New Spain formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of Las Californias, but was made a separate province in 1804 (named Nueva California). [1]
The new Mexico–United States border was established slightly to the north of the previous Alta-Baja border, and the terms Las Californias and Alta California were no longer formally used. The areas acquired by the U.S. remained under military authority, pending creation of civilian government through territorial designation and/or statehood.
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.
California was partitioned in its past, prior to its admission as a state in the United States. What under Spanish rule was called the Province of Las Californias (1768–1804), that stretched almost 2,000 miles (3,200 km) from north to south, was divided into Alta California (Upper California) and Baja California (Lower
The single province was divided in 1804, into Alta California province and Baja California province. [7] By the time of the 1804 split, the Alta province had expanded to include coastal areas as far north as what is now the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California.
Baja California gains control of where is now the cities of Tijuana, Mexicali, and Tecate from Alta California after the treaty and remained under Mexican control. In 1853, soldier of fortune ( mercenary ) William Walker captured La Paz , declaring himself president of the Republic of Baja California .
Milliken compared it to how Beverly Hills in 1987 became the first city in California to ban smoking in restaurants — and most public places — while nearby cities continued to allow it.
In 1836, Mexico repealed the 1824 federalist constitution and adopted a more centralist political organization (under the Siete Leyes) that reunited Alta and Baja California in a single California Department (Departamento de las Californias). The change had little practical effect in far-off Alta California.