Why are there so many Spanish names of cities in California?

Public Comments

1. California was first explored and settled by the Spanish. Most of california was settled by Spanish missionaries and exploreres claiming land for the crown.
2. Inhabited by indigenous people for millennia, Alta California was first colonized by the Spanish Empire in 1769, and after Mexican independence in 1821, continued as part of Mexico. Following one brief week as the independent California Republic in 1846, and the conclusion of the Mexican-American war in 1848, California was annexed by the United States and was admitted to the Union as the thirty-first state on September 9, 1850.
3. it was once part of mexico
4. Because 'California' was once part of Mexico's territory.
5. look how close to mexico it is!!!!
6. Because the southwestern part of America belonged to Spain and then Mexico long before it became an integral part of thew U.S.
7. Same reason Mexico is full of Spanish-sounding names. It was home to indigenous people for thousands of years, and then Spanish traders landed and killed, raped, and/or converted (to Catholicism) the locals. Then boatloads of Spanish settlers came to live there.Eventually, the US of A fought to take California from the Mexican government, and it was annexed and became a state. That's why a lot of Mexicans think we should give them back, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.