Catalog

Year Adopted: 1911 (origins from 1846)

The Bear Flag is the State Flag of California. As viewed with the hoist end of the flag to the left of the observer there appears in the upper left-hand corner of a white field a five-pointed red star with one point vertically upward and in the middle of the white field a brown grizzly bear walking toward the left with all four paws on a green grass plot, with head and eye turned slightly toward the observer; a red stripe forms the length of the flag at the bottom, and between the grass plot and the red stripe appear the words “CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC”. (ref CAL code 420)

On June 14, 1846, a small band of settlers marched on the Mexican garrison at Sonoma and took the commandant, Mariano Vallejo, prisoner. They issued a proclamation which declared California to be a Republic independent of Mexico. The uprising became known as the Bear Flag Revolt after the hastily designed flag depicting a grizzly bear and a five pointed star over a red bar and the words "California Republic." The grizzly bear was a symbol of strength, while the lone star referred to the Lone Star of Texas. The flag flew only until July 9, 1846, when it was learned that Mexico and the United States were already at war. Soon after, the Bear Flag was replaced with the 28 star American flag. An updated version of the 1846 Bear Flag was adopted as the State Flag by the State Legislature in 1911. (ref. California State Library) January 2014.

From 1847 to 1850, California had U.S. Military governors. It bypassed status as a Territory with a territorial government due to Congressional issues with the number of free states vs. slave states and was admitted as a State in September of 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850.