| Native Name: | Baja California Territory |
| Common Name: | Baja California |
| Status Text: | Territory of Mexico |
| Government Type: | Territory of Mexico |
| Capital: | Loreto (1824–1829) La Paz (1829–1931) |
| Year Start: | 1824 |
| Year End: | 1931 |
| Event Start: | Created|date_start =|event_end = Divided |
| Life Span: | 1824–1931 |
| Image Map Caption: | Location of the Baja California Territory (red) in Mexico, 1824. |
| P1: | The Californias |
| P2: | State of the Californias |
| P3: | Republic of Sonora |
| P4: | California Department |
| S1: | Department of the Californias |
| S2: | Republic of Baja California |
| S3: | California Department |
| S4: | Territory of Baja California Norte |
| S5: | Territory of Baja California Sur |
Baja California Territory (Territorio de Baja California) was a Mexican territory from 1824 to 1853, and 1854 to 1931, that encompassed the Baja California peninsula of present-day northwestern Mexico. It replaced the Baja California Province (1773–1824) of the Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain, after Mexican independence. Along with Alta California, the two territories were split from the Spanish Californias region.
In 1931, Baja California Territory was divided into the "Territory of Baja California Norte" and the "Territory of Baja California Sur". In 1952, the "North Territory" became the 29th State of Mexico as Baja California. In 1974, the "South Territory" became the 31st state as Baja California Sur.[1] [2]
Baja California's northern border with Alta California was first established to demarcate areas of Franciscan and Dominican missionary authority, precisely set on August 19, 1773, near San Juan Bautista Creek by Fray Francisco Palóu. A marker stands on the line formerly dividing the two countries. The marker is behind the ruins of Misión San Miguel Arcángel de la Frontera, in La Misión, Baja California. The Palóu line was adopted as the provincial dividing line in 1804.[3]
In 1848, under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, this international border was shifted further north to San Diego Bay, adjusting it to the claim of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo and the "sea-to-sea" claims of Sir Francis Drake and of the former colony of South Carolina.[4] [5]
Translated into English, the inscription on the marker reads: