u/deet0109

Combining the blue-white-gold tricolor from old license plate design, the keystone, and William Penn's family coat of arms

California is the second-largest island in the world, separated from the American west coast by the Nevada Sea. Originally claimed by Spain and later Mexico, it was taken by the United States in 1848 and divided into the states of Shasta and Cabrillo. Although it was initially sparsely populated to due its geographical isolation, the presence of gold and its year-round pleasant climate eventually attracted swarms of settlers; now it boasts some of America's largest cities. Tourists flock to the island each year to see the Nevada Cliffs, Yosemite, and other natural wonders, or just to relax on its many beaches. Originally, California's geographic isolation made transporting goods to the rest of the country difficult, so America's Pacific commerce went to ports like Las Vegas, Yuma, and Guayamas, but since the 1960s, a bridge from Oregon across the narrow Fremont Strait connects the island with the Interstate system, which has integrated California with the rest of the country. Still, the island maintains a distinct cultural identity within the U.S., and it even has a small independence movement.