Spanish Explorations

Spanish Explorations. . , 1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese navigator, sailing under the flag of Spain arrived in the harbor and named this area San Miguel in observance of the Feast Day of Saint Michael the Archangel. , 1602 Sebastián Viscanio sailing aboard the flagship San Diego, dropped anchor and named the area San Diego after Saint Didacus of Alcalá, Spain. , 1768 Fearing Russian encroachment, King Carlos III of Spain instructed Viceroy José de Gálvez of New Spain to establish settlements along the coast of Alta California to claim the land for Spain. Since Gálvez wanted it to appear that the motives for this plan were religious and not political, he chose the Franciscan order of Catholic priests led by Padre Junipero Serra to accompany the military and to be responsible for converting the native population to Christianity. , 1769 Initially, four expeditions were sent forth-two land expeditions and two sea expeditions: The San Carlos and San Antonio. On July 16, 1769 on a site overlooking the bay, Mission San Diego de Alcalá was founded as the first Mission in Alta California. The mission was moved to the present site in 1774 to be closer to the American Indian population, a better source of water and more fetile soil.