Editing Los Angeles (section)

== History ==

Los Angeles was founded on 4 September 1781 as a Spanish settlement in Alta California. It developed from a small pueblo into a regional center under Spanish and later Mexican administration. After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States, and Los Angeles was incorporated as a city on 4 April 1850.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Los Angeles expanded through rail connections, oil extraction, land development, port activity, and migration from other parts of the United States and abroad. The growth of the motion picture industry made the city internationally known, while the development of the port, road network, aviation facilities, and suburban districts turned it into the main urban center of Southern California.

By the late 20th century, Los Angeles had become a major global city. Its economy included entertainment, shipping, trade, finance, tourism, manufacturing, technology, education, and health care. The city's size, international connections, and fragmented urban districts also made it attractive to organized crime groups seeking money laundering routes, political access, and protected commercial fronts.