In the age of exploration all seafaring European powers were carving out colonies in the New World. Spain was the largest, thanks to Hernan Cortes and another conquistador that tavelled with him – Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.
On this day September 28th, in 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo – Spanish Conquistador – discovers modern day California at San Diego Bay.
Cabrillo became very wealthy after mining for gold in Guatemala. He then set sail north to California to find trading opportunities, but more importantly to try and find a route to China through the mythical Strait of Anian connecting the Pacific Ocean with Hudson Bay.