Expedition departing Tubac with Anza and Padre Font in the lead.
Painting courtesy of Tumacacori National Historical Park, Arizona.

An Interactive Study Environment on

Spanish Exploration and Colonization

of  "Alta California" 1774-1776

Web de Anza provides students and scholars with primary source documents and multimedia resources covering Juan Bautista de Anza's two overland expeditions from the Sonoran desert to northern California, leading to the colonization of San Francisco in 1776. 
 Historical Background | Map of Route  |  Historical Map by Pedro Font

Pictures, maps, documents and supplementary resources have been added to expand the richness of your inquiry into this important period in American history. Currently, eight diaries and one letter are available to read in both English and Spanish. (See the Archives.) Four regions of the expedition trail can now be viewed interactively on our new shaded relief maps found in the Atlas.

Teachers will find helpful suggestions in the Teachers' Center for using the online materials in the classroom.

Web de Anza is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional support comes from the National Park Service, the Arizona Historical Society, the California Historical Society, and the Center for Advanced Technology in Education (CATE) at the University of Oregon.  Credits

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