When did Americans reach the West Coast?

The first explorers and settlers of Coastal California were American Indians. The most expansive European colonizations efforts were made by the Spanish. On September 28, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his crew entered San Diego Bay–the first Europeans to visit California.

When did Europeans reach West Coast?

In 1513, Spanish explorers were the first Europeans to reach the west coast of North America, on the Pacific coast of the Panama isthmus.

Where was the West Coast?

The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S. states of California, Oregon, and Washington, but sometimes includes Alaska and Hawaii, especially by the United States Census Bureau as a U.S. geographic division.

Why is the West Coast so rich?

The West Coast Economy The West Coast has at least one other big advantage: It’s the gateway to international trade. California and Washington both have major ports for trade between the U.S. and Asia that support the exchange of goods, dominated by American agricultural products and Asian manufactured products.