6023 Spring Doins ANZA EXPEDITIONS History

THE ANZA EXPEDITIONS: 1774-1776
In 1774 and again in 1775-1776 Juan Bautista de Anza, an army captain in
the service of Spain, led two expeditions from Mexico to Alta California. The first
was an exploratory trip with a small party to locate a dependable land route to the
Spanish capital at Monterey. Having found such a route, he returned on his
second expedition with colonizers and large herds of livestock to establish the
settlement which would become San Francisco. He was an able leader, and in
the face of unexpected challenges he fully and capably discharged his duties. His
accomplishments on these expeditions were instrumental in the settlement of
California, and he fully deserves his place in the pantheon of the great explorers
of his age.
Spain in the New World
Spain’s involvement in the New World obviously begins with Christopher
Columbus’ historic voyage of 1492. Although he made four voyages to the
Americas, Columbus never set foot on the mainland of either North or South
America. Hernan Cortes landed at Veracruz, Mexico, and established a city there
in 1519, beginning three centuries of Spanish hegemony in the region,
conquering in turn the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations. Spanish administration
in the New World was organized as the Viceroyalty of New Spain in 1535, with its
capital at Mexico City, and the Viceroyalty of Peru in 1542, headquartered at
Lima. The remainder of the 16 th century saw several Spanish entradas into the
uncharted regions of northern Mexico (Old Mexico) and the adjacent lands of
New Mexico, now part of the United States. The explorers were few in number,
and although much was learned, the region remained sparsely populated and
largely unexplored. Spain claimed the area, but did not occupy it.
At the close of the 17 th century Spain sent Jesuit missionaries into what is
now Sonora and Sinaloa, and established a chain of missions in Baja California.
These missions were poor, and it was a constant struggle to keep them supplied.
In 1769, prompted by British and Russian intrusions along the northern coast of
Alta California, Spain sent expeditions by land and sea to establish missions and
presidios all along the coast.
What is now the state of California was first claimed by Juan Cabrillo in
1542 while exploring the coast by sea. His sea voyages were followed by those
of Drake and Cermeno. In 1602 Vizcaino surveyed the California coast and
marked San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Monterey as sites for future colonization.
Despite the knowledge obtained by multiple sea voyages, no one had ever
reached these areas by land and little was known of the country away from the
coast. In the 160 years after Vizcaino, Spain did little to explore, protect, or settle
the region.
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