Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda
Commissioned:
To explore the Gulf of
Mexico and establish a
Spanish colony.
Results of Expedition:
First European to see
Texas.
Founded a colony near
Tampico.
Some of his men were
arrested by Cortes.
Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda
Hernan Cortes
Conqueror who changes the world in 1519
Hernan Cortes
Commissioned to conquer a rich and powerful Indian
tribe of Central America.
Results of Expedition: Founded the city of Vera Cruz. He
then tricks the Aztecs, ultimately slaughtering them and
taking control of Tenochtitlan in 1519.
Hernan Cortes
Moctezuma II thought Cortes was
the God Quetzalcoatl, and let him
and his army into the city.
Picture of Quetzalcoatl
Cortes renamed the city Mexico. Today a marker sits on
the very spot where the two leaders met and battled.
Pánfilo de Narváez
Was given the land of
Florida. Was told to
conquer all the land
between Florida and
Mexico.
Began his expedition
with 400 men.
Pánfilo de Narváez
Narvaez lost over 100 men
before reaching an area
around present day New
Orleans. He and over 200
others were then killed by a
Hurricane.
The remaining 80 men made
it to Texas and lived with the
Karankawas. Unfortunately,
the settlers brought disease
with them and killed many
Indians.
By the end of Narvaez’s 6year expedition only four men
had survived.
Cabeza de Vaca
One of the four survivors of
the Narvaez expedition.
His only goal after six years
of disaster is to make it to
Mexico alive.
It takes him 18 months, but
he makes it back to
Mexico.
Cabeza de Vaca
Once back in Mexico, de Vaca tells the nobility of the
great cities of gold known as the Seven Cities of
Cibola.
Estevanico
1 of 4 survivors from the
Narvaez’ expedition.
Extremely smart man who
was able to learn
languages within days.
Also learned about herbs
and medicines.
Probably the first black man
to explore the U.S.
Estevanico and Friar Marcos de Niza
Commissioned to find the Seven Cities of Cibola
Estevanico is killed by Zuni Indians
Friar Marcos thinks he sees the golden cities, but in reality he sees the
setting sun on a pueblo village.
Francisco Vazquez de Coronado
The large expedition of over 1000 men, and 1500 horses is commissioned
to find the Seven Cities of Cibola
Francisco Vazquez de Coronado
Finds Cibola and realizes
the legend is false. The
city is just adobe homes,
not a golden city.
Splits up his group. One
group travels west and
becomes the first
Europeans to see the
Grand Canyon.
Coronado follows a man
named El Turco, to Quivira
another city that is filled
with gold and precious
jewels.
Francisco Vazquez de Coronado
When Coronado realizes
Quivira is another poor
adobe city he has El
Turko killed.
Coronado returns to
Mexico with nothing,
his expedition is a
failure.
Hernan de Soto
Commissioned to find
Cibola.
Becomes ill on the
expedition and dies.
Is credited with being
the first European to
see the Mississippi
River.
Moscoso de Alvarado
In charge of de Soto
expedition after his death.
Makes it back to Mexico with
311 of 600 original men
from the expedition.
Credited with being the first
European expedition to
explore the interior of the
United States.
Remember!
During this
time period
the area we
are studying is
not Texas, the
U.S., or
Mexico! It is
New Spain.
Juan Onate
Commissioned to
establish a mission in
the Northern Frontier
of New Spain.
Was successful! He
established Santa Fe in
1610.
Santa Fe today…almost 400 years later
Father Juan de Salas
Leads missionaries into
West Texas to work
with the Jumanos in
1629 and 1632.
Is very successful leading
many to believe a
Mission could be built
in Texas.
Juan de Salas
50 years later, Salas’ work is
honored when the first
Texas Mission named
‘Corpus Christi de la Ysleta’
is established in 1682 near
modern day El Paso.
Spain will now build other
missions across Texas—
including several just a few
miles away!