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Welcome
to the Crossroads European Exploration and Settlement timeline section. This timeline covers the period in California and Hayward area history (1519 to 1820s) when Europeans first came to the new world and became aware of California's existence. They began to explore, conquer, colonize or settle the west coast of North America which Europeans
called Alta California and Baja California. Click on the large red arrows to move forward or backward in time. Click on text or images to find out more about events and dates. |
| 1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo explores southern California coast for Spain and sails as far north as Oregon |
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1602 The Spanish explorer Sebastían Viscaíno explored Alta California. He gave the Spanish names to several places on his journey, including San Diego and Monterey. He contacted Rumsen Ohlone at Monterey. The exploration party sailed as far north as Cape Mendocino. |
1800 The population of immigrants to California is rising.
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1806 Measles epidemic killed one quarter of Bay Area mission population of native
people.
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1809 Twenty-one Spanish Missions were built throughout California between 1769
and 1823.
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| 1810-1821 For a long time, the people of Mexico had wanted
to be their own country. Spain had claimed Mexico in
1521 and had ruled it ever since. Then in 1821, three
hundred years later, the Mexican people finally won
their independence.
After several years of war with Spain, Mexico became
a free nation. This was important for California because
then California was part of Mexico and not part of Spain.
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1820 Spanish California is changed as settlers from Mexico begin to arrive.
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