Of CALIFORNIA

1542- Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sails along the coast of Alta California

1602- Sebastian Vizcaino discovers and names Monterey Bay

1769- Gaspar de Portola leads a walking expedition , including Father Junipero Serra, from Mexico to the Monterey Bay

Primary Source: Juan Cabrillo's Jounal

Juan Cabrillo

In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo set off to explore the Pacific Coast in search of a northern route connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean called the "Straits of Anian.” It was never found, but it is believed that he sailed as far north as Oregon. Cabrillo was the first Spanish explorer to sail along the coast of what is now California.

Sixty years later, in 1602, Sebastian Vizcaíno, too, sailed up the coast of Alta California. Vizcaino entered the harbor in what is today known as the Monterey Bay on December16th of that year. He named the bay after the viceroy of Mexico, the Count of Monte Rey. For nearly 200 years explorers used the maps of the coastline he created during that journey.

Sebastian Vizcaíno

Primary Source:Vizcaino’s

Diary 1602-1603

Diary of Miguel Costansó

Portola Expedition, 1769-1770

In 1769, Gaspar de Portola lead an overland voyage back to the Monterey Bay using the maps and descriptions from Vizcaino’s travels. His mission was to find locations for settlements along the California coast. Father Juan Crespi and Miguel Costanso recorded the events of the expedition. On the day of Saint Lawrence, the Portola expedition camped on the shore of what is now known as the San Lorenzo River.

Primary Source:

Gaspar de Portola

The expedition led by Portola included Father Junipero Serra, the President of the Missions. Serra made it as far north as Monterey, then stayed there to serve as mission president. He died in 1784, seven years before Mission Santa Cruz was dedicated.

Primary Source:An early map illustrating the route of "El Camino Real" in 1821, along with the 21 Franciscan Alta California missions. The road at this time was merely a horse and mule trail.

Primary Source:Letter from Junipero Serra

California State Standard: • 3.3 Students draw from historical and community resources to organize the

sequence of local historical events and describe how each period of settlement left its mark on the land. Research the explorers who visited here, the newcomers who settled here, and

the people who continue to come to the region, including their cultural and religious traditions and contributions.

Technology Foundation Standard:• Technology research tools Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect

information from a variety of sources.

Links Used:http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/cabrillo/cabrillo.htm http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/aj&CISOPTR=1522http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/vizcaino/vizcaino.htm http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/aj&CISOPTR=1586 http://anza.uoregon.edu/costanso.html http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/serra/serra.htm