California History - Exploration And Early Settlement

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First European to see the pacific ocean

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Vasco Núñez de Balboa 1513 cut across isthmus of Panama

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First European to discover California

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Juan Cabrillo 1542. Looked for northwest passage. claimed California for Spain and explored the coast from Mexico north to Russian River and back to Channel islands where he died.

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Sir Francis Drake

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1579

Searched for northwest passage. first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. plundered Spanish galleons- was knighted by queen Elizabeth I . Explored the west coast of North America. Landed at point Reyes north of San Francisco Bay, where he claimed California for England naming it “nova Albion” or New England in Latin, before continuing up to Washington.

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Sebastian Vizcaino

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1602 mapped coast of Alta California. discovered Monterey bay as a safe harbor but Spanish authorities did not settle California for another 150 years

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First Spaniard to explore the Americas

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Hernan Cortez. 1519-1521 Conquered the Aztecs in present-day Mexico City

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Coronado

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1540 - 1542 led expedition in search of El Dorado the mythical lost seven cities of gold. traveled two years in American southwest did not find any gold -found desert and Indians.

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Father Junipero Serra

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1769.Franciscan missionary who began setting up missions in California . First in Baja calif. then established first 9 of the 21 California missions from San Diego to Sonoma in Alta California in the province of Las Californias, New Spain. He was a driving force in Spanish conquest and colonization of California. Controversial figure because of treatment of the native Americans. Was named a saint by the Catholic Church in 2015. traveled some 24,000 miles, walked 5000 of them.

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Indian revolt in California

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1775 - 600 Kumayaay Indians Revolted and attacked mission San Diego. the revolt failed

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Jedediah Smith

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A mountain man /trapper explorer, and cartographer who explored throughout the west, including California 1826-1828.He and his party were first Americans to see the San Joaquin Valley. Mapped the Southpass through the Rocky Mountains which was later used by the wagon trains

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José de Galvez

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The Galvinizer

1768 Important administrator of New Spain - made plan to begin setting up missions in California with Serra as spiritual leader. Convinced Spain to colonize California

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Gaspar de Portola

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Spanish military leader and administrator who Led the expedition to San Diego with father Serra. Led first expedition by land in California north to sf bay. Established presidios at San Diego and Monterey. 1769- 1770