Teleology
Banned
In 1843 a deal was struck, and Prussia made the California Purchase from Mexico. All of Alta California had been offered for 6 million, but the Prussians negotiated a partial purchase of only the northern part of that territory for a lesser sum. This newly partitioned territory was called by the Mexicans and the Alta Californian Spaniards "Alta Norte" (the Upper North), Northern California to the San Francisco Yankees suddenly absorbed it and the southern Alta Anglo smallholders who had overwhelmed the local dons. On the international stage it was simply "Deutsche California".
The partial purchase was thought wiser in Berlin, due to the German pioneer presence in Northern California and it's unofficial governance by a Baden-born Swiss, John Sutter (who would have preferred to fly the French Flag, but preferred the Prussians to being conquered by the United States). Sutter was originally allowed to govern the new colony from his planned utopia, New Helvetia, but eventually the Prussian government found more agreeable candidates in the small community of German adventurers and their families in San Francisco, who had accompanied Russian explorers and trappers decades earlier.
The early shift of power from Helvetia to San Francisco probably prevented the Yankees and other foreign emigres there from rebelling in the same manner as the free farmers in Alta Sur, but created a deep hatred between Sutter, the agrarian, and his Prussian-appointed replacements in the city.
As of 1845 no one would have thought that the rift between Sutter's old guard in New Helvetia and the Prussian favorites in San Francisco could be bridged by any event. This only goes to show how unexpectedly the path of North California's destiny would turn in a new direction...
The partial purchase was thought wiser in Berlin, due to the German pioneer presence in Northern California and it's unofficial governance by a Baden-born Swiss, John Sutter (who would have preferred to fly the French Flag, but preferred the Prussians to being conquered by the United States). Sutter was originally allowed to govern the new colony from his planned utopia, New Helvetia, but eventually the Prussian government found more agreeable candidates in the small community of German adventurers and their families in San Francisco, who had accompanied Russian explorers and trappers decades earlier.
The early shift of power from Helvetia to San Francisco probably prevented the Yankees and other foreign emigres there from rebelling in the same manner as the free farmers in Alta Sur, but created a deep hatred between Sutter, the agrarian, and his Prussian-appointed replacements in the city.
As of 1845 no one would have thought that the rift between Sutter's old guard in New Helvetia and the Prussian favorites in San Francisco could be bridged by any event. This only goes to show how unexpectedly the path of North California's destiny would turn in a new direction...