Europeans Discover California
The discovery of California by Europeans began on September 28, 1542, when Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrillo, serving under the Spanish crown, became the first European to set foot on the region's coastline. Cabrillo had a varied background as a soldier and mariner and had previously participated in significant expeditions in Mexico. Motivated by rumors of the Seven Cities of Cíbola and the desire for trade routes to Asia, he embarked on his journey from Navidad, Mexico, with two ships. After navigating the Gulf of California and exploring lower California, Cabrillo and his crew anchored in what is now San Diego Bay, marking a significant moment in European exploration. Despite encountering resistance from Native American inhabitants during a brief landing, Cabrillo claimed the territory for Spain by planting the imperial flag. His expedition continued northward, but after a storm forced them to seek shelter, Cabrillo ultimately died on San Miguel Island in January 1543. His chief pilot then led the crew back to Mexico, concluding this pivotal exploration that would lay the groundwork for further European interest in California.
Europeans Discover California
Europeans Discover California
On September 28, 1542, the Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrillo (in Spanish, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo) discovered what is now the American state of California, the first European to do so.
Cabrillo's date of birth is unknown, as is his birthplace, which may have been one of several places in Portugal named Cabril. Cabrillo's last name was apparently a nickname, either assumed by Cabrillo himself or added by contemporaries as a means of differentiating the navigator from others named Juan Rodríguez. At any rate, he came to serve the government of Spain as a professional soldier and mariner, eventually arriving in Mexico with the expedition of the Spanish conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez in 1520. Cabrillo also accompanied Cortés during his expedition of conquest against the Aztecs and later joined an exploratory party into Oaxaca in southern Mexico. Afterward, interest in the lands northwest of Spanish Mexico was stimulated by widespread rumors about the Seven Cities of Cíbola in the fabulous “Isle of California.” Moreover, the prospect of establishing profitable trade connections with Asia and of discovering the western mouth of the elusive Northwest Passage, the interoceanic strait that supposedly joined the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, provided additional allure. By 1539 it was clear that lower California was a peninsula. In the following year, Hernando de Alarcón became the first European to set foot in upper California when he sailed up the Colorado River from the Gulf of California as far as the Gila River. The stage was therefore set for Cabrillo, who was to be the first European to touch upon the Pacific coastline of what is now the United States.
The viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza, assigned two ships to Cabrillo. The new commander set sail from Navidad, a small port on the western coast of Mexico, on June 27, 1542. The two vessels crossed the Gulf of California and continued along the western shores of lower California until they reached Cape Deceit on August 20, after which they cautiously skirted the untested coastline. Some three months away from their home port, Cabrillo and his men approached the islands off northern Mexico that are opposite what is now known as San Diego Bay. In the dark, they glimpsed American Indian campfires. The following day, September 28, 1542, the ships anchored in the bay.
A handful of the crew disembarked, probably at Ballast Point, a small stretch of land jutting out into the bay. The landing party, although attacked by natives and suffering three casualties, briefly explored the area. Cabrillo laid claim to the Isle of California in the name of the King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V by planting the imperial flag. Afterward, on October 3, 1542, the expedition put out to sea once more to further explore the coast of Upper California. Driven off course by a severe storm, Cabrillo returned south to winter at what he called Isla de la Posesión, later known as San Miguel Island, the farthest north of the eight Channel Islands off the Santa Barbara coast. He anchored his two ships there on November 23, 1542. On January 3, 1543, Cabrillo died on this island, probably as the result of an infection that developed after he broke a limb sometime earlier on the voyage. His chief pilot, Bartolomé Ferrelo (or Ferrer), assumed command and the remaining explorers returned home to Navidad, Mexico, on April 14, 1543.