California  

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"Why I Came to California" (1982) by Leon Ware

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California is a western coastal state of the United States of America.

Migration to California accelerated during the early 20th century with the completion of major transcontinental highways like Route 66. In the period from 1900 to 1965, the population grew from fewer than one million to become the most populous state in the Union.

Attracted to the mild Mediterranean climate, cheap land, and the state's wide variety of geography, filmmakers established the studio system in Hollywood in the 1920s.

Culture

The culture of California is a Western culture and most clearly has its roots in the culture of the United States. As a border and coastal state, however, Californian culture has been greatly influenced by several large immigrant populations, especially those from Latin America and East Asia. California is much an international crossroads as it is a major hub to the character of the US.

California has long been a subject of interest in the public mind and has often been promoted by its boosters as a kind of paradise. In the early 20th Century, fueled by the efforts of state and local boosters, many Americans saw the Golden State as an ideal resort destination, sunny and dry all year round with easy access to the ocean and mountains. In the 1960s, popular music groups such as the Beach Boys promoted the image of Californians as laid-back, tanned beachgoers.

The gold rush of the 1850s is still seen as a symbol of California's economic style, which tends to generate technology, social, entertainment, and economic fads and booms and related busts.

Literature

Notable authors who were either native to California or who wrote extensively about California include:

Namesakes




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "California" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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