European Exploration
France, England, and Spain Come to the New World
The Big Three
After Columbus “discovered” America – the race for power
began
In Europe – England, France, and Spain were in a power
struggle
To be the winner – each country explored the New World
hoping to claim the land and all the power that went with it
France
England
Spain
The Search for Gold, God, and
Glory
For centuries the “Big Three” had fought over land in Europe
All these wars cost money and after Columbus, the kings of
Europe realized they could have more land and all the riches
that came with it
So they began sending explorers across the ocean in hopes
that they would return with fortunes in gold, silver, and other
precious stones and metals
The Search for Gold, God, and
Glory
Once the reports started to reach Europe of the “heathens”
that inhabited the land, religious leaders became involved in
the attempt to settle the New World
They sent over priests to educate the Native Americans about
God and to save their souls
This would eventually lead
to the Spanish Mission
System that was used to
settle Texas
The Search for Gold, God, and
Glory
Most of the men who led to expeditions across Europe came
from poor families or no family at all
They were searching for a better life
If they were successful in their
voyages they would bring honor
and glory home to their countries
and would forever be remembered
as the men who helped build an
empire
The Conquistadors
Spanish Explorers at this time are
called Conquistadors which means
conquerors.
They were looking for glory, gold,
and adventure.
They would often practice brutality
to get it.
Cortes
1519-1521
Cuban governor wanted to explore the continent
Hernan Cortes
so he sent
Mission:
Report on the “rich and powerful” civilization
rumored to be there.
Clashed many times with the natives along
the Coast
Took Aztec’s gold, silver and land by force
IMPORTANCE TO TEXAS

He was never in what would be Texas!!!!!

His success got the Spanish government and other conquistadors
thinking that there may be more gold in New Spain (including in
the area that would become Texas)
Alonso Alvarez de Pineda
In 1519 – Pineda sailed from his base camp in Jamaica into
the Gulf of Mexico
He was the first European to map the coast line of Texas
Pineda never actually set foot in Texas, but his contribution was
important because his maps were used by later explorers
First Glimpse of Texas: Pineda
1519
Tampico
He tries to establish a
colony but is killed by
Natives in 1520
His Mission: Map the Gulf
Coast between Florida and
Mexico
Cabo Rojo
Sailed to Cabo Rojo, Mexico
• Run in with Cortes
• Cortes arrests some of Pineda’s men
• Pineda retreats to modern day Tampico
Spanish Governor of
Jamaica sent Alonzo
Alvarez de Pineda
Jamaica
Importance to Texas
 Never actually set foot in Texas
 But, he was the first European to set eyes on what would
become our state
 Texas History BEGINS with Pineda’s maps (YOU NEED TO
KNOW THAT DATE!!!!!)
1528-1536
Importance to Texas
Texas’ first explorer
• De Vaca and his fellow Spaniards were the FIRST Europeans to set foot in what
would become Texas
Texas’ first author
• 1687 - When de Vaca got back to Spain, he wrote a book about his experiences with
the Native people of Texas called La Relacion
de Vaca is important to Texas because he was the first to explore the land and wrote detailed
descriptions of his journey across Texas
Cabeza de Vaca Journey
France Enters the Race for
Texas
In 1683 Robert La Salle gained approval from the French
King to settle a colony where the Mississippi River empties
into the Gulf of Mexico
He set sail with 4 ships, 280 men, and French colonists
The French wanted a position
from which they could attack
Spanish Mexico and block any
further English-American
expansion westward
La Salle Misjudges
Instead of reaching the Mississippi River, La Salle ended up shipwrecked
at Matagorda Bay on the Texas Coast
1685 La Salle established Fort St Louis and set up a permanent French
settlement in Texas
He journeyed west across the state keeping a detailed journey of his
explorations
He once again set out east in an
attempt to find the mouth of the
Mississippi, but he was murdered by
his own men who had lost faith in
his abilities
Those who had stayed behind were
eventually massacred by
the Karankawa
France Scares Spain
After several expeditions into Texas, the Spanish lost interest
in the land because of its harsh climates and Native
Americans
However, when the Spanish heard about Fort St Louis, they
feared the French would claim Texas and all its land tipping
the balance of power in favor of France
So once again the Spanish Crown
began sending expeditions into
Texas to claim it for Spain and thus
ensure that Spain remained the
dominant European power