In case you were wondering...

California Flag
In 1836, Juan Alvarado and Isaac Graham led a revolution against Mexican rule. During this first revolt, rebels were able to capture Monterey and declared California "a free and sovereign state". The Lone Star Flag of California contained a single red star on a white background. The red star on a white field was the proposed first flag for the 1836 revolt. The star, both in California and in Texas, represents freedom and independence. The "lone" star on the flag symbolized independence, similarly to the Texas "lone star", The shape of a five point star is very old, and appeared as early as in Babylonian and Sumerian cultures. It represented the five senses, the five planets (in ancient astronomy) Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn, and Venus, the five classical elements (earth, air, water, fire, aether (look it up...it is cool)), and much more.
Although that rebellion failed, it inspired the design of the flag of the Bear Flag Revolt. The original Grizzly Bear Flag was raised for the first time in Sonoma, California, June 1846, by the men who became known as the "Bear Flaggers“. The first Bear Flag was designed by William L. Todd, a nephew of Mary Todd - the wife of Abraham Lincoln. The flag was influenced by the 1836 California Lone Star Flag. The bear was designed to be a symbol of strength and unyielding resistance. Plus there were many grizzly bears in California in those days.
The United States had declared war on Mexico in May 1846. Mexico surrendered California in 1848 and it became a territory. In 1848 just as the Mexican War was coming to an end, gold was discovered in the Sacramento Valley. News of the discovery brought thousands of prospectors from all over the United States. Many of them arrived in 1849, and thus became known as “Forty-niners.” Between 1848 and 1860, California’s population increased from about 26,000 to 380,000. Those who were not lucky finding gold stayed in California and became farmers and ranchers.
California became the 31st state on Sept. 9, 1850.
The Bear Flag was officially adopted in 1911.