San Francisco was established as a Spanish outpost when an expedition led by Juan Bautista de Anza chose the site on the tip of the peninsula, with a fine natural harbour at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, for a military fort, the Presidio, and a mission, Mission Dolores. The settlement stayed small under Spanish and later Mexican rule, under the name Yerba Buena, until the United States took California and the Gold Rush of 1849 brought a sudden flood of people, turning it into a booming port city. The 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed much of it, but it was rebuilt. San Francisco later became known for its counterculture and for its role in the technology industry of nearby Silicon Valley.
Before and after
- 16 December 1775Birth of Jane Austen
- 9 March 1776Publication of The Wealth of Nations
- 28 March 1776Construction of Bolshoi Theatre
- from 18 May 1776 to 27 May 1776Battle of The Cedars
- 29 June 1776Founding of San Francisco
- 4 July 1776United States Declaration of Independence
- 9 August 1776Birth of Amedeo Avogadro
- 25 August 1776Death of David Hume
- 27 August 1776Battle of Long Island
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- from 1799 to 1849Sikh Empire
- 6 February 1819Founding of modern Singapore
- from 1839 to 1876Tanzimat
- 3 May 1841Founding of New Zealand
- 1891Discovery of Gundestrup cauldron
- March 1900Arthur Evans begins digging at Knossos
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.