Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo

Historians have claimed Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo as both Spanish and Portuguese. They are certain, however, that he was in the New World by 1510 and participated in the conquest of Cuba and the siege of Tenochtitlan in Mexico with Hernan Cortes. Because of these and other expeditions, Cabrillo like many others earned his fortune through conquest.

In 1542 he took charge of an expedition leaving from the west coast of Mexico and followed the dangerous and uncharted coast northward. Like many others, he believed that America was joined to Asia or separated by a small strait. He thought that following the California coast northward would thus open up a route to China. The expedition lasted more than nine months, faced grave dangers from the elements, and most likely made it as far as present-day...