Join host Damian Bacich and guest Eric Plunkett as they dive into the fascinating early maritime history of California. Eric Plunkett is a historian based in San Juan Capistrano specializing in early California exploration and indigenous history.
In Part 1, Plunkett reveals surprising details about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s 1542 expedition, including his connection to Cortez and the fall of Tenochtitlan. Learn how Cabrillo documented Chumash village names that remained unchanged for centuries and how Native American trade networks helped Spanish explorers communicate across vast distances.
Discover lesser-known stories of the Manila Galleons, shipwrecks, and a possible “California Cabeza de Vaca” – a Spanish ship captain who may have walked from Northern California back to Mexico City in the 1580s.
This episode challenges common assumptions about early California history and reveals the complex web of exploration, trade, and cultural exchange that shaped the region long before the mission era.
In Part 2, we talk about early explorations of California. We begin with the shipwreck of the San Agustin in 1595 at Drake’s Bay, which was recognized as California’s first shipwreck.
Eric goes on to discuss Pedro de Unamuno’s significant overland incursion in 1587, which included the first recorded conflict in California with native people in California.
We then explore the extensive and officially sanctioned expeditions of explorers like Sebastián Vizcaíno, who mapped much of the California coast and named several well-known places. The episode highlights California’s early role in global trade routes and its significant connections with Asian markets. Through these stories, you will gain a new perspective on California’s place in the broader context of world history.
