Final answer:
The Bear Flag Revolt occurred near Sonoma, California in June 1846, in which American settlers declared independence from Mexico and raised a flag featuring a bear and star.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Bear Flag Revolt took place in June 1846, near the town of Sonoma in what is now the state of California. A group of American settlers led by Ezekiel Merritt and William B. Ide, who were seeking independence from Mexican rule, captured the small Mexican garrison in Sonoma. They declared California an independent republic and raised a homemade flag with a bear and a star on it, which is why it is referred to as the Bear Flag Revolt.
This brief and relatively bloodless revolt was significant as it took place during a period of heightened tensions between the United States and Mexico, and it preceded the Mexican-American War. Events like this contributed to the eventual U.S. annexation of California and several other territories.