HISTORY California was sighted by the Spanish navigator Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. The U.S defeated the Spanish, and Mexico surrendered it to John C. Fremont. The growth that took place in California during the 19th century brought numerous changes to the state. On Jan. 24, 1848, James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill, starting the California Gold Rush and bringing settlers to the state in large numbers.California became a state on September 9, 1850. By 1964, California had surpassed New York to become the most populous state. Many activities during this time had to do with natural resources to build new communities for the influx of new residents. One reason for this may be that more immigrants settle in California than any other state—more than one-third of the nation's total in 1994. Asians and Pacific Islanders led the influx.