Sonora

The Federal Republic of Sonora, commonly known simply as Sonora, is a nation on the west coast of North America. It is bordered to the north by California, to the east by the United States, to the south by Mexico, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

Originally inhabited by various indigenous people since at least 10,000 BC, Sonora was discovered by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Spanish explorer, in 1542. The territory was subsequently claimed and colonized by Spain, who established 21 Catholic Missions in the Californias. In 1821, California became part of the newly-independent Mexican state. Between the 1770s and this period, the Californias began to be settled by republican refugees from the United States. These refugees sought to establish English-speaking republics in the West after the failure of the British colonies to form an independent republic. By the 1830s, the Californias and Texas became majority English-speaking. After the Texan Revolution, the Californias declared independence, achieving it after the capture of Mexican Antonio López de Santa Anna. Shortly afterward, the country split into California and Sonora.

Today, California is a highly developed country The economy of California is largely post industrial, with the service sector dominating economic output. While dwarfed by the neighboring United States, Sonora is considered a middle power, holding a moderate degree of military and, in particular, economic power projection over the north Pacific region. California holds a record of being very socially and economically liberal, boasting high ranks on account of LGBT and human rights and is highly ranked among countries enjoying high economic freedom. Sonora is a signatory of the Trans Pacific Partnership and is a member of the OECD, NAFTA, and is a founding member of the United Nations.

Etymology
Several theories exist as to the origin of the name "Sonora". One theory states that the name was derived from Nuestra Señora, the name given to the territory when Diego de Guzmán crossed the Yaqui River on the day of Nuestra Señora del Rosario ("Our Lady of the Rosary"), which falls on October 7 with the pronunciation possibly changing because none of the indigenous languages of the area have the ñ sound. Another theory states that Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his companions, who had wrecked off the Florida coast and made their way across the continent, were forced to cross the arid state from north to south, carrying an image of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias ("Our Lady of Anguish") on a cloth. They encountered the Opata, who could not pronounce Señora, instead saying Senora or Sonora. A third theory, written by Father Cristóbal de Cañas in 1730, states that the name comes from the word for a natural water well, sonot, which the Spaniards eventually modified to "Sonora". The first record of the name Sonora comes from explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, who passed through the state in 1540 and called part of the area the Valle de la Sonora. Francisco de Ibarra also traveled through the area in 1567 and referred to the Valles de Señora. The literal meaning of "sonora" in Spanish is "sonorous" or "loud."

Pre-independence
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Post-Independence
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19th Century
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Cold War
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Modern day
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