1. California became a U.S. state on March 4, 1850.
On this day, California officially became the 31st state to join the Union. The state's admission followed a period of rapid growth in the wake of the gold rush, as thousands of settlers flooded the region in the hopes of striking it rich.

2. The first successful steam-powered vessel in California made its debut on March 4, 1849.
Named the Senator, the ship made its maiden voyage from San Francisco to Sacramento, marking a major milestone in the development of California's transportation infrastructure.

3. The famous California condor was declared an endangered species on March 4, 1967.
The condor, which is one of the largest birds in North America, had suffered a dramatic decline in population due to habitat loss, hunting, and poisoning from environmental contaminants.

4. One of California's most famous cultural landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge, was dedicated on March 4, 1933.
The iconic bridge, which spans the entrance to San Francisco Bay, connects the city to Marin County and has become a symbol of both California and the United States as a whole.

5. On March 4, 1975, the California Supreme Court struck down the state's death penalty statute as unconstitutional.
The decision was based on the court's finding that the law was applied in an arbitrary and capricious manner, and that it violated the state's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling was later overturned by a voter initiative in 1978, reinstating the death penalty in California.