Page 46 - California Diving and Surfing
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Key Historical Dates and Events
1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer employed by Spain, explored San Diego Bay.
1579 Francis Drake, an English sea captain, sailed along the coast and claimed California for England.
1602 Sebastián Vizcaíno named many landmarks along the coast, and urged that Spain colonize California.
1697 The Spaniards began establishing missions and other settlements in Baja (Lower) California.
1769 Captain Gaspar de Portolá, Governor of Baja California, led an expedition that established the first presidio
(military fort) at San Diego. Father Junípero Serra established San Diego de Alcalá, the first mission in California.
1770 Gaspar established a presidio at Monterey.
1776 A group of Spanish settlers from New Spain (Mexico) reached the site of what is now San Francisco.
1796 The Otter, the first American sailing vessel to reach the coast from the East, appeared in California waters.
1812 Russian fur traders established Fort Ross on the northern California coast.
1821 New Spain won its independence from Spain.
1822 California became part of New Spain.
