Pre-European contact
La Jolla complex (~8000 BCE – 1000CE)
The first inhabitants of the region were the people of the La Jolla complex, also known as the Shell … See more

Alta California became part of the United States in 1848 following the U.S. victory in the Mexican–American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, … See more

Since World War I, the military has played a leading role in the local economy. World War II brought prosperity and gave millions of soldiers, … See more

• Timeline of San Diego
• Bibliography of California history See more

First Mexican Empire and First Mexican Republic (1821–1835): Pueblo de San Diego
In 1821, Mexico … See more

The city grew in bursts, especially in the 1880s and again from 1900 to 1930, when it reached 148,000.
The Gibraltar of the Pacific
In the 1890–1914 … See more

Californios and Chicano/Hispanic
In 1830, San Diego had 520 residents, land was owned by the government, with only seven ranchos awarded to retired soldiers. In 1835, … See more