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The State Flag of California (The Golden State)

What words are printed on the state flag of California? If you said, "California Republic," go to the head of the class! The star on the flag represents the fact that California (like Texas, which also has a star) was once a republic.

California entered the Union on Sept. 9, 1850, as the 31st state, soon after gold was discovered. Agriculture and mining have always been important to the economy of California. Industrial activity has expanded rapidly in the 20th century along with a booming population. By the 1990s California had a larger population than any other state and was the leading producer by value of both agricultural and manufactured goods. The name California was first given to the Baja California Peninsula by the Spanish explorer Hern·n Cortes in the early 16th century and was applied by other explorers to more northern areas. The word is derived from the name of an imaginary island in a popular Spanish romance of the time.

The flag of California is white with a wide red strip along the bottom. There is a red star in the upper left corner and a grizzly bear facing left. The bear is standing on green grass. The bear depicted is a California grizzly or golden bear, a grizzly subspecies that is now extinct. The five-pointed star is a nod to the Republic of Texas.

Our version of this flag is made of light-weight polyester for durability and is 3' by 5'.