The Big Picture
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By CaboOnline Staff Once upon a time the US state of California belonged to Mexico and extended all the way down to Land’s End, at the tip of the Baja California Peninsula. The part that is now California was known as Baja California Norte and the part that still belongs to Mexico as Baja California Sur, with the Dominicans running the Christian conversion in the north and the Fransicans in the south. The Baja California Peninsula was discovered in 1534 by Fortún Jiménez de Bertadoña. In May 1535 Hernán Cortés recognized the peninsula as the “Island of California” and is officially credited with its discovery. The first permanent mission in BCS was established in October 1697 by Jesuit priest Juan María de Salvatierra, and dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto. The Jesuits were expelled from the peninsula on February 3, 1768. In addition to their 70 years of cultural legacy, they left behind 18 missions and two country chapels. The Fransican friars arrived in April of 1768, but were replaced by the Dominicans in 1772. The peninsula was divided into two separate entities in 1804. The US army was defeated near the town of Mulegé during the Mexican-American War on October 2, 1847. The US was forced to retreat from the peninsula and could not claim it as part of the new territories acquired under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848. Baja California Sur (BCS) became the Mexico’s 31st and last state on September 24, 1974. The resort towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo reside in in BCS. Preident Porfirio Díaz created the territories of Baja California and Baja California Sur in 1888. Baja California became Mexico’s 31st and final state on September 24, 1974. Today the resort area known as Los Cabos boasts 10,000 hotel rooms and eight golf courses and the best sport fishing in Mexico. Several cruise ships also stop in Cabo San Lucas during the week. |
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