The name Los Angeles is Spanish for the Angels. In the late 18th
century, Felipe de Neve, Spanish Governor of California, saw the need to
establish a settlement along the River Los Angeles, The primary purpose
for the pueblo was to reaffirm Spain's claim over the territory in the
face of encroachments by Russia in the north and Britain from the sea.
The settlement would also help to keep Spain's California military
garrisons supplied and fed. Los Angeles was officially established by
Governor Felipe de Neve on September 4,1781.
Governor de Neve's statue stands today at the Plaza of Olvera Street
in downtown Los Angeles. Later, when Mexico became an independent state,
California with Los Angeles was governed by Mexicans.
In August of 1846, American soldiers entered Los Angeles and the
Stars and Stripes flag has flown over the city since January 1847. On
February, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and the
Mexican-American War was finished, California was ceded to the United
States. In 1851 the first Los Angeles City police force was organized.
Nowadays the city of Los Angeles holds many distinctions. Los Angeles
is the entertainment capital of the world, a cultural centre which has
more than 300 museums and a paradise of good weather.
It is the only city in the world to host the Summer Olympics twice.
Downtown of Los Angeles is the largest government centre outside of
Washington, D.C.
Los Angeles has the only remaining wooden lighthouse in the world. It
is located in Fermin Park in San Pedro. Los Angeles has the largest
historical theatre district, located in Downtown on Broadway.
Los Angeles is on the leading edge of the growth industries. The Los
Angeles area " Digital Coast" has more multimedia jobs than Silicon
Valley and New York City combined. The Los Angeles metropolitan area,
with more than 122,000 jobs in the fashion industry, has surpassed New
York's fashion district work force.
The population of Los Angeles is about four million people. Los
Angeles ranks as the second largest city in the nation behind New York
City, In Los Angeles there are people from about 140 countries^speaking
approximately 86 different languages and currently call Los Angeles
home.