Saturday, August 1, 2026

Question: For about 25 days in 1846, a stretch of Northern California existed as its own independent nation. What was it called?

Answer: The California Republic, better known as the Bear Flag Republic. American settlers seized the town of Sonoma from Mexico and raised a homemade flag with a grizzly bear and a lone star. The republic lasted less than a month before U.S. forces took California.