THE SPANISH EXPLORERS OF TEXAS
Name
Where did they
explore?
Who did they
come in contact
with?
CORTES
1519 – Coast of
present day Mexico.
Traveled inland to
Tenochtitlan
Aztecs and
groups the
Aztecs had
conquered
DE PINEDA
1519 – Searched for
a water route to the
Pacific. Sailed along
the Gulf of Mexico
from Florida to
Mexico.
Cortes, Haustec
people
NARVAEZ
1527 – The gulf
coast from Florida
to northern Mexico.
Atakapans and
Karankawa
What Happened?
Marched inland in search of the Aztec kingdom (Tenochtitlan) with
several hundred soldiers and HORSES. Used former enemies of the
Aztecs against them (people the Aztecs forced to pay tribute).
Montezuma welcomes Cortez but when he realizes Cortes real goals,
they drive the Spanish from the city. In 1521, Cortes destroys the
Aztec empire and builds Mexico City. The Spanish had several
advantages over the Aztecs: better weapons and armor (steel
swords/armor, guns, canons); horses; disease; the Natives thought
the Spaniards were gods.
When he sailed down the Gulf of Mexico and reached Mexico, he
ran into Cortes who thought of Pineda as a rival. Cortes imprisoned
some of Pineda’s men. His voyage may have been the first contact
between Europeans and Texas Indians (around the Rio Grande). This
voyage gave the Spanish their first accurate information about the
Texas Coast including a well-drawn map.
His group landed in Florida and divided in half. Some marched inland
and others sailed the coast. The group on the ships spent a year
searching for the inland group and eventually sailed away. The inland
group was sick, starving, and even ate their horses to survive. They
built rafts and floated away. Many died and a storm pushed them into
Texas. November 6, 1528 – first known Europeans on Texas soil.
The original 400 dwindled to 80 and most remaining died.
THE SPANISH EXPLORERS OF TEXAS
Name
DE VACA
CORONADO
DESOTO AND
MOSCOSO
Where did they
explore?
1527 – part of
Narvaez’s group
Mexico
New Mexico
Texas Panhandle
1539 - Florida
through Texas from
the East
Who did they
come in contact
with?
What Happened?
Atakapans,
Karankawa,
Coahuiltecans
deVaca became very ill during the ordeal with Narvaez. The other
sailors left him with the Native Americans where he was forced to
work and began trading for the tribe for four years. Eventually he
meets up with other survivors of his group and they live with the
Coahuiltecans where they are treated as slaves. In 1534 they escaped
and as they traveled they became Shaman. Published a book in 1542.
El Turco
Set out in 1540 with 1,000 men to conquer Cibola and take its
treasure. Captured a presidio and was not satisfied with what he
found there. Treated the Native Americans badly. First group to see
the Grand Canyon. Met El Turco who told them of a land full of
treasure to the North. After going to this land and finding no
treasure, they kill El Turco and give up, returning to Mexico.
Caddos
DeSoto wanted to explore Texas from the East. They started in
Florida and after four years DeSoto dies and another in the group,
Moscoso, takes over. Met the Caddos who gave them food.
Eventually they turned back to the Mississippi River and traveled
back to Mexico by sea. However, during their time in Texas they
found petroleum.