In 1492, Columbus landed in what is now the Dominican Republic, believing he had reached Asia.
Instead he was the first European to encounter the Americas.
This discovery marked a pivotal turning point for the Spanish, who went on to colonize the Americas and become one of the most powerful kingdoms in Europe.
California, however, remained largely untouched by Europeans for many years, separated by mountains, jungles, and deserts.
The closest European port to California was Acapulco, which engaged in active trade with the Philippines, also a Spanish colony.
Massive ships, known as Manila galleons, made the lengthy voyage between America and the Philippines, transporting spices and porcelain in exchange for gold.
However, the Spanish were eager to find a quicker route connecting America to Asia.
One popular theory was that a northern passage might exist. To explore this, navigator Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo set sail, reaching as far North as Point Reyes but missing San Francisco Bay due to fog.
Today, many references to Cabrillo can be found across the state, including schools and the Cabrillo Highway.
A replica of his ship was constructed in San Diego in 2015.
Several other maritime expeditions followed.
The English pirate Sir Francis Drake sailed up the entire west coast of the Americas and reached Point Reyes - Drake's Cove is now named in his honor.
Another explorer, Miguel de Sería, sailed from the Philippines and landed around Trinidad. His ship sank but he managed to navigate a large canoe back to Mexico, also missing San Francisco Bay due to fog.
A third explorer, Sebastián Vizcaíno, sailed from Mexico and reached Cape Mendocino, naming several sites along the way - San Diego Bay, Santa Barbara, the Channel Islands, Point Lobos, and Monterey Bay.
He anchored in Point Reyes on the Epiphany ("the day of the Three Kings"), which led to the naming of Point Reyes ("reyes" means "kings" in Spanish).
After this flurry of exploration, European activity in the region slowed for about 150 years as European affairs took precedence over further exploration.
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