California began with an Indian society which was station and provincial. From this territory Spanish invaders, seeking adventure and wealth, erected an outpost which was someday to be- A come the empire of the West." The short period of Mexican domination influenced by Spanish tradition brought a change in this empire. The search for gold, the search for new homes and ad- venture, ended the life of the sleepy province. The annexation of California to the United States meant a new life and new problems for many. Through her people and through their willing- ness to fight for their honor and their welfare, California gradually became one of the most important states in the Union.