Republic of Baja California: Map & History
The Republic of Baja California, also known in Spanish as the República de Baja California, was a proposed state from 1853 to 1854, after American private military leader William Walker failed to invade Sonora from Arizona.
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The Republic of Baja California, also known in Spanish as the República de Baja California, was a proposed state from 1853 to 1854, after American private military leader William Walker failed to invade Sonora from Arizona. Walker wanted to appropriate Sonora, and his claims had both the support of tycoons and government complacency in the United States.
Modern Countries Once Part of Republic of Baja California
At its mapped extent, Republic of Baja California covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Republic of Baja California's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Republic of Baja California in Depth
History
William Walker was an American physician and adventurer who settled in California during the gold rush. He had tried to take over the state of Sonora before launching the campaign against Baja California, with the support of American moguls.
Walker left California with 45 American mercenaries on October 15, 1853, with the intention of arriving at Guaymas (Sonora), and occupying the Mexican state. However, one year before, the Mexicans had already repelled an expedition of French filibusters, increased their troops and had military preparedness. Perhaps this made Walker refrain. He chose to first attack and take the Baja California peninsula as a first step to seize Sonora. Aboard the schooner Caroline, Walker's expedition arrived at Cabo San Lucas on October 28 of that year.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Republic of Baja California (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Republic of Baja California: Key Facts
| Capital | La Paz |
|---|---|
| Founded | 15 October 1853 |
| Dissolved | January 1854 |
Succeeded by
- Republic of Sonora
Facts from Wikidata Q7314427 (CC0).
Republic of Baja California Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 160,314 km² in 1854 CE.
Republic of Baja California: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Republic of Baja California exist?
The Republic of Baja California is dated to 1853 CE – 1856 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of the Republic of Baja California?
The capital of the Republic of Baja California was La Paz.
How large was the Republic of Baja California at its peak?
At its peak in 1854 the Republic of Baja California covered about 160,314 km².
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