Early Explorers
First Steps in a New Land
1
Columbus Sights a New
World
• Lands Caribbean island October
1492
• Italian sailing under Spanish flag
• Spain claims most of S. America,
Caribbean, Mexico, Central
America, & part of present-day
U.S.
• Columbus returned to Americas
3 times
2
New Spain
• Conquistadors – Spanish
soldiers seeking gold and
glory for themselves
– Built towns, laid out roads,
opened mines, developed
farms/ranches
• Friars – Catholic priests
– Convert natives to Catholic
faith; established missions
(religious settlements)
3
Cortés Lands in Mexico
• Feb 1519 – Hernan Cortés sails from Cuba to
Mexico with 500 soldiers
• Aztecs welcomed Cortés – believed he was a
god (Quetzalcoatl)
• Aztec capital city (Tenochtitlán) – palaces, zoos,
gold, silver
• Spanish imprisoned & killed Aztec leader
(Moctezuma) then torn down capital and took
treasures – rebuilt and renamed Mexico City
• Because of treasures, other Spanish are inspired
4
Álvarez de Pineda Explores
Texas
• 1519 – Alonso Álvarez de Pineda becomes
1st European to explore Texas coast
• Sailed from Florida to Mexico
• Stopped at mouth of Río de las Palmas (Rio
Grande)
• Died in 1520 in Native American uprising
in Mexico
5
Shipwrecked in
Texas
• 1527 – Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca sailed from
Florida for glory and gold
• Shipwrecked on Galveston Island (Malhado – isle of
misfortune)
• Karankawas help out but most Spanish died from
disease and exposure to elements
• Cabeza de Vaca & Estevanico (1st black man in Tex.)
adopt ways of Karankawas and become shamans
• Traveled throughout Texas and learned much about
surrounding geography
• In Texas for nearly 6 years
6
Early Explorers
The Spanish Explore Texas
7
The Quest for Gold
• Cabeza de Vaca had heard stories of
riches of copper, emeralds, and turquoise
• Cabeza de Vaca describes adventure
– Huge herds of “cows” with small horns
– Vast and handsome land
– Very Fertile
• Spaniards inspired to send treasureseeking expeditions
8
Where did Cabeza de Vaca
probably get his ideas about
riches in Texas?
From Native Americans with whom
he had come in contact
9
Fray Marcos Leads a
New Expedition
• 1539 – Viceroy Mendoza sends priest to check out
Cabeza de Vaca’s stories
• Estevanico (Esteban)
– Shipwrecked with Cabeza de Vaca
– Rode ahead; sent back reports of seven cities of gold and
other riches
– 1st black in Texas (killed by Zuni Indians)
• Cibola
– Pueblo in Arizona and New Mexico border
– Looked golden at sunset
10
Why did Fray Marcos conclude
that there was a Cibola with
seven cities of gold?
He saw a pueblo at sunset, which
made it look golden, and he
imagined that there were other
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such cities.
Coronado Is Disappointed
• 1540 – Francisco Vazquez de Coronado led
an expedition of more than 300 to find
Cibola (no gold – just adobe)
• Met Pawnee Indian (Turk) in present-day
Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Turk told of fabulous riches further east in
Quivira
• Disappointed about not finding riches, Turk
is put to death
12
How would you feel if you were
Coronado?
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Moscoso Explores East Texas
• 1539 - Hernan de Soto landed in Florida
– 1st time European reached Mississippi
– Died in 1542
• Moscoso takes command – reaches East
Texas
• Explored as far as Brazos River – found
no riches – returned to Mississippi River
14
How did de Soto and Moscoso
reach Texas?
By land, probably on
horseback
15
New Mexico is Founded
• Interest in Texas decreasing due to lack
of riches
• 1609 – Spaniards set up permanent
colony on upper Rio Grande (no gold)
• Explored as far as present-day San
Angelo
16
Lady in Blue
• Maria de Jesus de
Agreda
• Spanish nun
• Claimed to visited Texas
over 500 times (16201631)
• Never left Spain
• Indians told stories of
being taught by a “Lady
in Blue”
17
Why did the Spanish make few
attempts to settle the region
now known as Texas?
They sought gold but found none,
so they thought the region was not
worth settling.
18
Early Explorers
La Salle Awakens Spanish Interest
19
France Challenges Spanish Claims
• Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
– 1682 – 1st European to navigate Mississippi River
– Named the land Louisiana (honor of Louis XIV)
– 1684 – 2nd expedition to New World
• Mouth of Mississippi River
• Blown off course with storm
• Landed in Matagorda Bay (near present-day Corpus
Christi)
20
French Flags Flies Over Texas
• Ft. St. Louis built near Matagorda Bay
– Settlers overworked, poor food, disease, and
conflict with the Native Americans
• La Salle leaves to explore area
• La Salle murdered by unhappy follower
21
Results of La Salle’s Expedition
• Spanish shifts focus from western Texas
to eastern Texas
– Extensive exploration in northern Gulf
Coast shore
• Provided U.S. a reason to claim Texas as
part of Louisiana Purchase (1803)
– Caused arguments between U.S. and Spain
for years over borders
22
Causes/Effects of Spanish
Settlement of Texas
• Causes
– Spanish explorers
hope to find riches in
Texas
– Spanish priests want
to spread Christianity
– Spain feels threatened
by growing presence
of French in Texas
• Effects
– Spanish interest in
Texas is renewed
– Spain makes strong
effort to establish
colonies and force out
French
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Explorers Summary
•
•
•
•
•
1492 – Christopher Columbus
1519 – Cortes in Mexico; Pineda maps Texas coast
1528 – Cabeza de Vaca in Texas
1540 – Coronado finds Cibola (no gold)
1541 – Coronado finds Quivira (no gold); De Soto
explores Mississippi River
• 1609 – Spanish establish Santa Fe, New Mexico colony
• 1685 – La Salle establishes Ft. St. Louis near
Matagorda Bay
• 1687 – Spain shifts focus to eastern Texas
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