1. In 1846, the Bear Flag Revolt began in Sonoma, California. A group of American settlers declared California to be an independent republic, unfurling a homemade flag with a crude drawing of a grizzly bear and a star in the upper corner.

2. On December 29, 1911, the Los Angeles Aqueduct was officially opened, bringing water from the Owens Valley to the growing city of Los Angeles. The aqueduct, which is still in use today, was a monumental engineering feat and helped transform Los Angeles into a major metropolis.

3. In 1975, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the mandatory seat belt law, requiring all drivers and passengers in a vehicle to wear a seat belt. This law has saved countless lives over the years and is now a standard safety feature in vehicles all over the world.

4. On December 29, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area, killing 63 people and causing billions of dollars in damage. The quake, which measured 6.9 on the Richter scale, was a stark reminder of the seismic risk faced by California residents.

5. In 2006, California became the first state in the nation to ban the use of trans fats in all food establishments, including restaurants and grocery stores. The ban, which took effect in 2010, was intended to improve public health by reducing the amount of unhealthy trans fats consumed by Californians.