Story of the Week #35
The explorer Francisco de Ulloa
Friday December 08th 2023
Francisco de Ulloa was a 16th-century Spanish explorer, renowned for his voyages of exploration in the Pacific. Here is some key information about his life and expeditions:
Historical background: Francisco de Ulloa was born in Spain around 1495. He lived at a time when Spain, under the influence of the Great Discoveries, was financing expeditions to explore new lands and extend Spanish influence.
Pacific expedition: In 1539, Ulloa was chosen to lead an expedition to the Pacific to determine the nature of Baja California (today's California peninsula) and explore the adjacent coastline. The expedition comprised three ships, the main one being the “Santa Agueda”.
Discovery of the California Strait: Francisco de Ulloa's expedition is best known for its discovery of the strait that separates the California peninsula from the North American continent. Today, this strait bears his name, the “Canal de Ulloa” or “Strait of Ulloa”.
Back to New Spain: After exploring the Strait, Ulloa returned to New Spain (now Mexico) in 1540.
However, his subsequent fate is something of a mystery. It is thought that he was killed by natives on a later expedition to the Pacific coast of Mexico.
Contributions to cartography: Ulloa's expeditions contributed to a better understanding of the region's geography. The maps he produced were used by other Spanish explorers and navigators to plan their voyages.
Francisco de Ulloa's contribution to the exploration of the west coast of North America, in particular his discovery of the Strait of California, had a significant impact on cartography and geographical knowledge of the region at the time.
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