Partition and secession in California

Present counties of California

California, the most populous state in the United States and third largest in area, has been the subject of more than 220 proposals to divide it into multiple states since its admission to the United States in 1850[1] including at least 27 significant proposals in the first 150 years of statehood.[2] In addition, there have been some calls for the secession of certain states or large regions in the American West (such as the proposal of Cascadia) which often include parts of Northern California.

Prior California partitions

California was partitioned in its past. What under Spanish rule was called the Province of the Californias (1768–1804) was divided into Alta California (Upper California) and Baja California (Lower California) in 1804 at the line separating the Franciscan missions in the north from the Dominican missions in the south.

After the Mexican–American War, Alta California was admitted to the United States as the present-day State of California. Baja California remained under Mexican rule.

In 1888, under the government of President Porfirio Díaz, Baja California became a federally administered territory called the North Territory of Baja California ("north territory" because it was the northernmost territory in the Republic of Mexico). In 1952, the northern portion of this territory (above 28°N) became the 29th state of Mexico, called Baja California; the sparsely populated southern portion remained a federally administered territory. In 1974, it became the 31st state of Mexico, admitted as Baja California Sur.

History of partition movements

Pre-statehood

Main article: Compromise of 1850

The territory that became the present state of California was acquired by the U.S. as a result of the Mexican–American War and subsequent 1848 Mexican Cession. After the war, a confrontation erupted between the slave states of the South and the free states of the North regarding the status of these acquired territories. Among the disputes, the South wanted to extend the Missouri Compromise line (36°30' parallel north), and thus slave territory, west to Southern California and to the Pacific coast, while the North did not.[3]

Starting in late 1848, Americans and foreigners of many different countries rushed into California for the California Gold Rush, exponentially increasing the population. In response to growing demand for a better more representative government, a Constitutional Convention was held in 1849. The delegates there unanimously outlawed slavery, and had no interest in extending the Missouri Compromise Line through California; the lightly populated southern half never had slavery and was heavily Hispanic.[4] They thus applied for statehood in the current boundaries. As part of the Compromise of 1850, the South reluctantly acceded to having California be a free state, and it officially became the 31st state in the union on September 9, 1850.

Post-statehood

20th century

21st century

Bill Maze's proposal for the new state of Coastal California or Western California highlighted in green.
Jeff Stone's proposal for the new state of South California highlighted in red.
Map of the Six Californias
  Jefferson
  North California
  Silicon Valley
  Central California
  West California
  South California

Secession

Ecotopia

Writer Ernest Callenbach wrote a 1975 novel, entitled Ecotopia, in which he proposed a full-blown secession of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington from the United States in order to focus upon environmentally-friendly living and culture. He later abandoned the idea, feeling that "We are now fatally interconnected, in climate change, ocean impoverishment, agricultural soil loss, etc. etc. etc."[29]

Cascadia

While mostly consisting of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia in Canada, proposals for an independent Cascadia often include portions of northern California.

See also

References

  1. Daniel B. Wood (July 12, 2011). "51st state? Small step forward for long-shot 'South California' plan". The Christian Science Monitor. Yahoo! Inc. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  2. "History of Proposals to Divide California". Three Californias. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  3. Mark J. Stegmaier (1996). Texas, New Mexico, and the compromise of 1850: boundary dispute & sectional conflict. p. 177.
  4. William Henry Ellison. A self-governing dominion, California, 1849-1860 (1950) online
  5. 1 2 3 Ellison, William Henry (October 1913). "The Movement for State Division in California, 1849-1860". The Southwestern Historical Quarterly 12 (2): 101–139. JSTOR 30234593.
  6. http://books.google.com/books?id=OEqiYRm-ohMC&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27 Two Californias: The Truth about the Split-state Movement
  7. http://books.google.com/books?id=WCMLAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA2-PA230 The Quarterly, Volumes 5-6 By Historical Society of Southern California, Los Angeles County Pioneers of Southern California.
  8. http://www.callawyer.com/story.cfm?eid=900573&evid=1
  9. 1 2 Romney, Lee (September 25, 2013). "Modoc becomes second California county to back secession drive". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  10. "California Senate acts to cut state in two in districting fight," Syracuse Herald-Journal, June 5, 1965, p1
  11. Evans, Jim (2002-01-03). "Upstate, downstate". Sacramento News & Review. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  12. "1992". Three Californias. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  13. Holt, Tim (2003-08-17). "A modest proposal: downsize California!". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  14. Hutchinson, Martin (2009-05-21). "Califournia Breakup?". Thomas Reuters. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  15. Downsize California
  16. "Could 'South California' become the 51st US state?". Daily Telegraph. 2011-07-11.
  17. Official calls for Riverside, 12 other counties to secede from California. KCBS-TV. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
  18. Romney, Lee (January 23, 2014). "Glenn County is third in Calif. to back breakaway State of Jefferson". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  19. Janes, Nick (April 16, 2014). "Yuba County Joins State Of Jefferson Movement To Split California". CBS13 Sacramento. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  20. June 3, 2014 Primary Election - County of Del Norte;
  21. Wilson, Reid (June 4, 2014). "One California county votes to separate, two counties vote to stick around". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  22. Smith, Steven (July 22, 2014). "Sutter County Board of Supervisors Summary of July 22, 2014". Sutter County. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  23. Draper, Timothy. "Six Californias". Initiative Measure Submitted Directly to Voters. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  24. Draper, Timothy. "Six Californias". Website. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  25. Draper, Timothy. "Tim Draper Wants To Split California Into Pieces And Turn Silicon Valley Into Its Own State". TechCrunch. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  26. Fields, Kayle. "Petition to Split California Into Six States Gets Green Light". abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  27. Chaussee, Jennifer (July 14, 2014). "Billionaire's breakup plan would chop California into six states". Chicago Tribune. Reuter. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  28. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/12/6702457/six-californias-initiative-fails.html
  29. Matt Sledge (July 14, 2011). "San Francisco Secession: Could It Create 'Ecotopia'?". Huffington Post.
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