The fog of war lifted in California as Mexican Governor Andrés Pico and American General John C. Frémont penned the Treaty of Cahuenga, bringing a decisive end to the Mexican-American War on the West Coast. With the stroke of a pen, California officially became American territory, paving the way for statehood 50 years later. This historic treaty marked a major turning point in the region's history, as the once-disputed land was now firmly under American control.