Explorers and Conquistadors in California

Who was the sailor from Spain who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492?

• Christopher Columbus

• Hernán Cortés

• Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

• Francis Drake

What were European explorers searching for in the 1500s?

• A way to reach Asia

• New trade routes to Africa

• Gold and new lands in North America

• Spices and goods from the Americas

Which conquistador conquered the Aztec people of present-day Mexico in 1521?

• Christopher Columbus

• Hernán Cortés

• Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

• Francis Drake

What did Hernán Cortés name the lands he took from the Aztecs?

• New Spain

• Alta California

• Baja California

• Philippines

Who became the first European sailor to visit Alta California?

• Christopher Columbus

• Hernán Cortés

• Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

• Francis Drake

Which country captured some Pacific islands rich in spices and named them the Philippines?

• Spain

• England

• Mexico

• United States

Who did Queen Elizabeth I of England send to the Americas to keep treasure away from Spain?

• Christopher Columbus

• Hernán Cortés

• Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

• Francis Drake

What physical barriers made it difficult for Europeans to reach California?

• Deserts and high mountains

• Wind and water currents

• Lack of good harbors

• Islands and peninsulas

Who led the 1602 expedition to Alta California and named places as he went?

• Christopher Columbus

• Hernán Cortés

• Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

• Sebastián Vizcaíno

Why did the Spanish stop exploring Alta California after Vizcaíno's expedition?

• It was too difficult to reach by sea

• They found no riches or valuable resources

• Other countries claimed the land

• The local Indians were hostile