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Jan 1, 1542
First european arrival in California
The first european in california was Portuguese-born Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo. He claimed all the new found land for Spain. -
Jan 1, 1579
First Englishman to arrive in California
The first Englishman, Sir Francis Drake, sailed into California. He spent five weeks among the California natives then claimed all the territory for the English Crown. -
First Spanish Mission in California
The Spanish founded the first California mission in 1769 named Mission San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego. It has been thought that there was about 310,000 Indians living in California at that point. -
Native resistance against the Spanish
The neophyte Francisco of the Cuiamac Rancheria helped the Ipai-Tipai organize nine villages into a force of about 800 men who destroyed Mission San Diego. They also killed three Hispanos including Padre Jaime. This was one of the biggest and most successful native rebellions of the time. -
Diseases Strike Native Californians
The indigenous people of California were not immune to the diseases such as smallpox, malaria, measles, and many many other diseases that were not native to their area were brought over the seas by Spanish and English settlers. By 1848 the native population was reduced by more than 2 thirds. -
Gold rush brings on more americans
Before, the non-indian population was just a couple thousand, but after 1849, during the gold rush, the non-Indian population of California had grown to 100,000. The Native Californian population was already in terrible condition, suffering from disease, lack of food, and violent confrontations with the new landowners so once the Americans arrived, California Indians were at an even greater disadvantage. The americans came with just the thought of instant wealth on their minds and nothing else. -
Not doing very well
From having a population of 200,000 people in the 1700's the natives numbers were down to 30,000 by 1860. This was because of diseases and poverty and other settlers coming for the gold rush in which the natives were treated like slaves.
