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As the result of the Mexican War, Mexico ceded California to the United States in 1846. A territorial government should have been established by the U.S. Congress, but it was not. Congress delayed establishing any civilian government while it struggled with the issues of slavery and the balance of slave and non-slave states. In the meantime, California was administered by a succession of seven American military governors. [RAP-ed.]
Source of the information in the following table: Hart, James D. A Companion to California, University of California Press, 1987.
| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| John Drake Sloat | July 7--29, 1846 |
| Robert Field Stockton | July 29, 1846--Jan. 19, 1847 |
| John Charles Fremont | Jan. 19--March 1, 1847 |
| Stephen Watts Kearny | March 1--May 31, 1847 |
| Richard Barnes Mason | May 31, 1847--Feb.28, 1849 |
| Persifor F. Smith | Feb. 28--April 12, 1849 |
| Bennet Riley | April 12--Dec.20, 1849 |
Disclaimer:
While the Library has verified the information presented in these files in what it considers to be reliable and authoritative sources, it cannot take responsibility for nor guarantee the accuracy of the information presented.