Los Angeles

From ArticleWorld

Los Angeles (also referred to as L.A.) is a city in USA. It is the second largest in the country by population, housing over 3.8 million people and one of the most important economic, cultural and entertainment centers in the world.

History

Originally the region was occupied by Tongva, Chumash and Native Americans. Spain came to the area in 1542 as a part of Juan Cabrillo’s exploration of the continent. On September 4, 1781 a Mexican group settled here and formed a small ranch city called “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels on the River Porciuncula”. 1820 saw Mexico gaining independence from Spain. Later on, in 1850, after Yankees started the gold rush, Los Angeles was formed as a regular city. The discovery of oil in 1892 made it possible for the town to quickly expand and by 1923 it was one of the biggest petroleum supplier in the world with over a quarter of its production. The next step in evolution was taken in 1913, when William Mulholland finished building an aqueduct system that created an even bigger boom in evolution. 1920 saw the aviation and motion picture industries move to Los Angeles, giving it another high evolution prospect. Even World War II helped the city grow and become one of the most prosperous at the time. Nowadays the town is one of the most important in USA and in the world.

Government

The government of the city is done through a mayor-council system. 15 city council districts can be found that help together with many elected officials such as the city attorney and the city controller. The police system that offers their services to the people is known as the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Another public security system is offered by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which polices areas of Los Angeles county and other town that do not have a police force. The legal system falls under two jurisdictions. The Los Angeles County Superior Court has it over any case that discusses state law and the US District Court for the General District of California deals with federal law. Criminality has been a problem in Los Angeles in the past with a high peak reached in 1992. After that date serious actions have been taken and it led to a constant decrease in violent acts, with an all time low in 2005. Another fact stands in car chases. Los Angeles has more such incidents than any other major city. This is because of the highly developed freeway system that makes it hard for the one being pursued to escape but it also becomes difficult to catch him. Because of these crime facts several video games have been placed in Los Angeles. Examples can be given in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and True Crime: Streets of LA.