When Was the First Earthquake?

The first recorded earthquake in 1769 was felt by a group of explorers camping near Los Angeles, Calif. Since that time period lacked the technology that would later be able to detect and measure earthquakes, there is no information on the strength or size of the quake. That same year, at least four other earthquakes were recorded. The biggest earthquake ever took place in 1960. It occurred in Chile and was measured with a magnitude of 9.5.