The Spanish Explorers
Ch. 5
Christopher Columbus 1492
Propelled by Europe’s
goal of finding new trade
routes to Asia,
Christopher Columbus
(Cristóbal Colón) sailed
to the Americas.
However, not until after
his death would the
value of his discovery
truly be known
COLUMBUS’S FOUR VOYAGES
At first they called the land the Indies because of
the early belief that they were in India
Eventually Spanish explorers realized that the
Americas could provide even greater riches than
what could have been earned through trade with
Asia. For the next 150 years after Columbus’s
voyages, adventurers explored the new lands in
search of wealth.
Christopher Columbus
After Columbus’s 4th
voyage he became
the governor of a
new settlement in
Santo Domingo on
the island of
Hispaniola.
He was disliked by
his men because he
enslaved and killed
thousands of
natives.
Columbus died in 1506. This is his Tomb in Seville, Spain
Columbus’s voyages led to further
European exploration and colonization,
forever changing the Americas.
SPANISH EXPLORERS: 1519–1598
The Conquistadors
Spanish Explorers at this
time are called
Conquistadors which
means conquerors.
They were looking for
glory, gold, and adventure
and God (to spread their
religion).
They would often practice
brutality to get it.
"We Spaniards have a disease of the heart,
for which the only cure is gold." Cortes
1521 Cortes
Hernan Cortes was a Conquistador that landed in
modern Veracruz, Mexico.
He marched into the interior of Mexico and into the
capital of the Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan
Took control of the city by kidnapping the Aztec King,
Montezuma, then fought and destroyed the Aztec
army with their superior weapons.
Cortes renamed the city Mexico and the land
became New Spain. This established a Spanish
Empire in the Americas
Won tons of gold and silver for Spain and himself
Hernan Cortes
Spanish
Explorers
Come to Texas
1519
In 1519 Pineda was the
Alvarez
first European to travel
along the coast of Texas
and map and explore the
Gulf of Mexico
de Pineda
1527 Narvaez
Panfilo de Narvaez was
sent to conquer Florida
The Indians in Florida
drove him out and he
could not locate his
ships.
Built some rafts to sail
from Florida to Mexico.
The survivors landed in
Texas (Narvaez was not
one of them and he was
never seen again)
Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca
was shipwrecked on Galveston
Island as part of the Narvaez
expedition.
Spent 8 years living with Native
Americans including the
Karankawas
Eventually he and 3 other
survivors including a black Moor
named Estevanico escaped and
walked a thousands miles to
Mexico exploring Texas along
the way
Was a slave, trader, healer and
spiritual leader to many natives
along the way.
Cabeza de Vaca
Cabeza de Vaca Journey
Cabeza De Vaca finally meet some Spanish
slave-hunters near Culiacan in modern Mexico
in 1536.
They did not believe he was a white man at first.
He became a celebrity in Spain and wrote La
Relacion (The understanding) a book that told of
his experiences in Texas
In Cabeza De Vaca’s journeys across
Texas he heard stories of cities named
Cibola filled with gold.
Narvaez and Cabeza de Vaca
1538 Friar Marcos de Niza
Sent to find Seven
Cities of Cibola
Led the first
expedition into the
Southwestern United
States
De Niza was a friar, not a military
leader and only brought a few
men with him.
Estevanico (from de Vaca’s
group) came along with de Niza
and was used as a scout to
search for Cibola
But he was killed by Zuni Indians
in New Mexico
Returned claiming to see a golden
city (really a mirage or the sun
reflecting off adobe roofs)
1540 Coronado
Francisco Vázquez de
Coronado was set out to
conquer the golden city of
Cibola.
He brought over 1,300
men with him
He and his men searched
for months for Cibola
They found a Zuni village
with pueblo houses, but
no gold
A Tigua Indian named El Turco “The Turk”
promised to lead Coronado’s group to a rich land
named Quivira
The Turk led the Spanish from New
Mexico to Kansas where they found a
simple grass hut village.
Turco was executed because Coronado
knew that he was lying.
In 1542 they return
to Mexico failing to
find gold
Niza Cibola Coronado
Sent to find the 7 Cities of
Cibola
Explored the Southeast
United States
Reached the Mississippi
River where he became ill
and died.
His men went into East
Texas before returning to
the Mississippi where they
built boats and returned to
Mexico
1540 Hernando de
Soto
De Soto and his men “discover”
the Mississippi River
After de Soto, Spain
loses interest in Texas
and N. America for a
while (no gold)
Hernando de Soto
Conquistador Recruitment Poster