Why was Sacramento chosen as the capital of California instead of Los Angeles?
First, let me say that it was chosen in the 1850s. So, the “obvious” choice then would have been San Francisco, and not Los Angeles (which was a tiny little town at that time). In any case, it was chosen because (a) land there was cheap, which mattered a lot given the state government’s budget at the time, and (b) because it’s fairly near the center of the state. Q: What makes history, history? For example, who decides that Christopher Columbus reached North America first and who decides on publishing American history for everyone to read, whether they are right or wrong? A: Great question, and a hard one to answer. To begin with, professional historians and book publishers and book buyers have a fair amount of influence over the “creation” of history. And what we believe to be true about the past changes quite often, more often than you may think. For example, as recently as 70 years ago, professional historians thought slavery had been a good thing for African Americans. With that sa
