On October 10, 1542, a group of Spanish explorers led by Juan Cabrillo arrived in the lands of the Chumash near what is now the city of Santa Barbara.
The Chumash were friendly to the Spaniards, but the Europeans soon left when they did not find the gold they were looking for.
Although a few Spanish expeditions visited coastal areas, the Spanish did not settle in California until more than two centuries later, when Spanish priests began to found missions there.
