Topic: Juan Francisco

Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra (baptized 3 June 1743 – 26 March 1794) was a Spanish naval officer born in Lima, Peru. Sailing from the Spanish Naval Department base at San Blas, in what now is the Mexican state of Nayarit, from 1774 to 1788 this South American navigator explored the Northwest Coast of North America as far north as Alaska.

Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra joined the Spanish Naval Academy in Cádiz at 19, and four years later was commissioned as an officer.

In 1775 under the command of Lieutenant Bruno de Heceta, the Spanish explored the Pacific Northwest. This followed the first Spanish expedition by Juan Pérez in 1774, who had failed to claim the Northwest Coast for Spain. The expedition consisted of two ships: the Santiago, commanded by Hezeta himself, and the schooner Sonora (La Señora), commanded by his second in command, Lieutenant Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra. Bodega y Quadra was given the lesser position of second officer on the Sonora despite the fact that he outranked the others. Bodega y Quadra had all the training and qualifications necessary to be considered for a senior officer position, but as a non-Spaniard he was subject to the class prejudice common to Spain and the colonial Americas during that time. So he was passed over for promotions.