Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese explorer who is best known for his exploration of the west coast of North America. He was born around 1499 and sailed under the Spanish flag. In 1542, Cabrillo led an expedition that explored the coast of present-day California, becoming the first European to set foot on the California coast. Cabrillo's journey began in Mexico, where he set sail from Acapulco. His expedition aimed to find a route to Asia and to claim new territories for Spain. Unfortunately, Cabrillo died during the voyage in 1543, but his explorations laid the groundwork for future Spanish expeditions in the region.