San Francisco

Smarter in sixty minutes. Get smarter in just 60 minutes with in60Learning. Concise and elegantly written non-fiction books and audiobooks help you learn the core subject matter in 20% of the time that it takes to read a typical book. Life is short, so explore a multitude of fascinating historical, biographical, scientific, political, and financial topics in only an hour each. San Francisco's history precedes its name by several thousands of years. Though Europeans had settled in other parts of California much earlier, it wasn't until 1769 they stumbled upon the bay area. When the Spanish first arrived, they were floored by its natural beauty, which had been carefully maintained by its long-time residents, the Ohlone Indians. The Spanish began converting the natives and established a mission, the patron saint of which was St. Francis of Assisi, the city's future namesake. The area changed rapidly over the subsequent centuries as it shifted between governing powers and played host to several great booms in American history, yet it retains its beautiful landscape and charm to this day.