Before the European colonizers arrived in San Francisco CA, this area was inhabited by two native American Communities; the Miwok and the Ohlone. They were hunters and gatherers, and their livelihood depended on fishing, hunting animals, collecting nuts, shell fish, and fruits.
In 1579, Francis Drake sailed to this area in search of the San Francisco Bay, but unfortunately, he was unable to find it. It was not until 1769 when Gaspar de Portola found the bay in a Spanish expedition in which he was the leader.
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In 1776, a group of settlers led by Juan de Anza settled in San Francisco Bay and built Fort Presidio. A mission was then founded in 1797.
The 19th century
In the beginning of the 19th century, traders and whaling ships arrived at the bay in their numbers. The economy of the area started growing, and more settlement schemes started sprouting. The Spanish and Mexicans lived harmoniously and engaged in different business dealings together. However, in 1821, the marriage broke, and Mexico (which included California at the time) became an independent republic.
In 1835, an Englishman by the name William Richardson developed a settlement scheme along the San Francisco Bayand called it Yerba Buena, and by 1840, the scheme was filled with Native Americans. The population grew, and the economy that had suffered as a result of the breaking away of Mexico started thriving.
In 1846, the United States annexed California, and the American flag was hoisted ashore, and the settlement around the Bay was named San Francisco in 1847.
In 1848, gold was discovered in San Francisco by James Marshall. As a result of this gold rush, people thronged the small city in their thousands, and as the population grew, business boomed and the economy thrived.
In 1851, the city was reduced to ashes by a raging fire, but it was reconstructed in no time.
The gold boom came to an end in 1853, but immediately after, silver was discovered. Due to the fact that this mineral needed expensive equipment to mine, only a few people who were nicknamed ‘Silver Barons’ benefited from it.
San Francisco in the 20th and 21st century
The City continued to thrive in the 20th century where the great Golden Gate Bridge has been developed. Cable cars were introduced, and different railway companies came to the city. By the end of 1900, this city had a population of over 300, 000 people. Despite a strong earthquake that ruined the city in 1953 and fires that continued to reduce it into ashes, the spirit of its founders was not killed. Residents kept on rebuilding it and today, San Francisco is a flourishing city where many tourist spots are booming, and restaurants like McCormick & Kuleto’s Restaurant became famous. It is home to over 860, 000 people from different cultures including African-Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, Hispanics, and many others.