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Early Exploration of California. By Bonnie Rodriguez June 2007. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/explorer_map_shepherd.jpg. The Conquistadors. Early Spanish explorers were called conquistadors. Conquistador means “conqueror.”
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Early Exploration of California By Bonnie Rodriguez June 2007 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/explorer_map_shepherd.jpg
The Conquistadors • Early Spanish explorers were called conquistadors. Conquistador means “conqueror.” • They came to the Americas in search of riches and to change people’s beliefs to Christianity. • A famous conquistador was Hernando Cortes, who defeated the Aztecs.
Finding a Shortcut • Explorers wanted to find a shortcut to Asia, to make trading easier. http://www.mariner.org/exploration/mm_images/MSm0400-1_large.jpg
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo • Cabrillo was looking for a shortcut to Asia. • He found San Diego in 1542. • His exploring helped the Spanish learn about the coast of Alta California. http://www.etsu.edu/cas/history/resources/Private/Faculty/Fac_To1877ChapterDocFiles/ChapterImages/Ch2cabrillo.jpg
Francis Drake • Francis Drake wanted to find a shortcut to Asia too. • He sailed for England. • While sailing up the Pacific Ocean, he attacked many Spanish settlements. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Francis_drake.jpg
Alta California • The Spanish wanted to start a colony in Alta California before someone else came along. • A colony is a settlement that is ruled by a faraway government. http://media.maps.com/magellan/Images/CALEXP-W2.gif
Spanish leaders wanted to start their colony by building missions. A mission is a religious settlement. Missions http://www.barnhartschool.com/beilstein/images/California-missions-map_000.jpg
Spanish Missions • Missions were run by missionaries, or a person who teaches religion to others. • Missionaries tried to convert Indians to the Catholic religion, teach them Spanish and show them the Spanish ways of life.
San Diego • Spanish explorers traveled to Alta California to establish settlements. • The reached San Diego Bay in 1769. http://www.moonblink.info/Pictures/index.cgi?item=Cruising1a/01CabrilloPan/Web
Junipero Serra • A priest named Junipero Serra began the first of 21 missions in Alta California in San Diego. • It was called San Diego de Alcala. http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/serra/images/serra.jpg
Monterey • The Spanish had heard that Monterey had a good bay and set out to find it. • Gaspar de Portola found Monterey Bay in 1770. http://www.celestedavidsonmannis.com/images/lobos_panorama.jpg
Is There a Better Way? • The route to Alta California was hard. There were mountains and deserts to cross. Many of the routes lacked grass and water. • Even though it was hard, people still came to California.
Quiz • Why did early Spanish “conquistadors” come to the Americas? • What was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo looking for? • What did missionaries do? • Who was Junipero Serra? • Why was exploring California difficult?