[Bubba Ho-Tep]

The short answer is that the land belonged to the federal government first, since they acquired the territory. When states were formed out of US Territories, ownership of empty lands remained with the federal government. The states didn’t automatically get land owned by the federal government simply by forming states.

[Jewbacca]

With the exception of Texas.

[Arkinsaw]

I am usually not that conspiratorial.

But I have wondered whether the intention is ultimately for California to default and the US government to follow the precedent of "Reconstruction".

I can see California defaulting and the Federal government using its guarantee of a "republican form of government" to declare that California committed suicide and rewrite it's Constitution (without Proposition 13).

I admit it is paranoid, but its not like states had not been declared to have "committed suicide" and "reconstructed" before.

[SatinDoll]

California was a Republic before it becamse a state. I do not believe it was ever a territory.