Baja California Sur History

History
Despite various explorations, the remoteness of the region impeded efforts at colonization until the 17th century. In 1697, Jesuit missionary Juan María de Salvatierra established the Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó Mission, it was the first permanent one of its kind in Baja California Sur. From there the order spread through most of the current state, founding sixteen missions. In 1768, the Jesuits were expelled from New Spain and the Franciscans took over the missions, continuing the expansion north. In 1773 they were replaced by the Dominicans. The southern peninsula’s isolation kept it out of the fighting during the Mexican War of Independence and although this war ended in 1821, the remoteness of the area allowed the Spanish to maintain control of the southern peninsula until 1822. The United States invaded the peninsula during the Mexican-American War but the Mexican government kept control of the territory. From the end of the Mexican Revolution to 1974, the territory had ten governors appointed by the federal government. The division of the peninsula was further formalized in 1931. The southern territory became a state on October 8, 1974, with three municipalities. 

Online Histories

 * “El Territorio de la Baja California,” a Google eBook, published in 1899
 * “Historia de la Antigua o Baja California,” a Google eBook, published in 1852