José Joaquín Moraga facts for kids
José Joaquín Moraga (born August 22, 1745 – died July 13, 1785) was an important Spanish soldier and explorer. He is best known for founding the city of San Jose, California, in 1777. This was a big step in the history of California.
Early Life and Expeditions
José Joaquín Moraga was born on August 22, 1745. His birthplace was at a place called Mission Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi. This area was part of New Spain, which is now Arizona.
In 1776, Moraga joined a major expedition. He was the second-in-command to Juan Bautista de Anza. This group traveled a long way by land. They went from what is now southern Arizona to San Francisco, California.
When de Anza went back south in 1777, Moraga stayed behind. He was put in charge of building homes for the new settlers. He also oversaw the creation of a military base. This base became known as the Presidio of San Francisco.
Founding San Jose
Moraga received special orders from Antonio María de Bucareli. Bucareli was the Spanish Viceroy of New Spain. A viceroy was like a governor for a large area.
Moraga was told to create a new settlement. On November 29, 1777, he founded the Pueblo of San José. A "pueblo" was a civilian town. This town was named in honor of Saint Joseph.
San Jose became the very first official civilian town in Alta California. Alta California was the northern part of Spanish California.
Later Life and Legacy
José Joaquín Moraga died in San Francisco in 1785. He was buried inside Mission San Francisco de Asís. This mission is also known as Mission Dolores.
Many places in California are named after important Spanish explorers. Streets in San Francisco are named after Moraga and others. These include Anza, Argüello, Balboa, and Cabrillo. Valencia Street is named after Jose Manuel Valencia. He was part of both de Anza's and Moraga's groups.
Moraga's son, Gabriel Moraga, also became a Spanish soldier. He was born in what is now southern Arizona. Gabriel became a leader in the San Jose pueblo. He also helped found the Villa de Branciforte in 1797. This was another Spanish town in California.
Gabriel Moraga also led expeditions to explore the San Joaquin Valley. He did this in the early 1800s.
The town of Moraga, California, is named after Joaquín Moraga. He was José Joaquín Moraga's grandson. Joaquín Moraga owned a large piece of land there. His old home, the Moraga Adobe, is still in the town.
See also
In Spanish: José Joaquín Moraga para niños
