{"slug": "alta-california", "label": "Alta California", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alta_California", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1422806", "qid": "Q1422806", "description": "former province of New Spain and Mexico", "entries": 6, "years": 6, "span": [1769, 1812], "span_label": ["1769 CE", "1812 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 2}, {"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 2}, {"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 1}, {"title": "Climate & Environment", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "san-francisco-bay", "label": "San Francisco Bay", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "monterey-california", "label": "Monterey, California", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "mercalli-intensity-scale", "label": "Mercalli intensity scale", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "charles-iii-of-spain", "label": "Charles III of Spain", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": 1769, "year_label": "1769 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "November 1", "text": "November 1 – A party of the expedition of Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola becomes the first Europeans to reach San Francisco Bay. Sergeant Jose Francisco de Ortega and his group accidentally discover the area while searching for Drakes Bay in Alta California.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1354215144#October–December", "title": "1769", "revid": 1354215144, "section": "Events › October–December"}}, {"year": 1770, "year_label": "1770 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 3", "text": "June 3 – Gaspar de Portolà and Father Junípero Serra establish Monterey, the presidio of Alta California territory for Spain from 1777–1822, United Mexican States 1824–1846, until the California Republic.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368310921#April–June", "title": "1770", "revid": 1368310921, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1772, "year_label": "1772 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "March 20", "text": "March 20 – Pedro Fages, the Spanish Governor of Alta California, and Juan Crespí, a Catholic priest, set off from the capital at Monterey with a party of 12 soldiers and begin the first European exploration of the lands around San Francisco Bay.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362979438#January–March", "title": "1772", "revid": 1362979438, "section": "Events › January–March"}}, {"year": 1777, "year_label": "1777 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "November 29", "text": "November 29 – San Jose, California, is founded. It is the first pueblo in Spanish Alta California.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1349829024#July–December", "title": "1777", "revid": 1349829024, "section": "Events › July–December"}}, {"year": 1784, "year_label": "1784 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "King Charles III of Spain authorizes land grants in Alta California.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370567291#Date_unknown", "title": "1784", "revid": 1370567291, "section": "Events › Date unknown"}}, {"year": 1812, "year_label": "1812 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "December 8", "text": "December 8 – The M6.9–7.5 San Juan Capistrano earthquake affects Alta California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong) to IX (Violent), killing 40 parishioners at Mission San Juan Capistrano.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364673712#October–December", "title": "1812", "revid": 1364673712, "section": "Events › October–December"}}]}