Chapter 4

Early Explorers

Section 1First Steps in a New Land

• Christopher Columbus- 1492• Italian, sailing for Spain• Discovered new land, thought he was in the

Indies • Greatest contribution- opened the

door for western colonization- SPAIN

New Spain

• Conquistadores- Spanish soldiers• Sought riches, power and glory for Spain• Brutally defeated the Inca, Maya and Aztec

to control their land• Brought with them friars and set up missions

Cortes

• 1519- Cortes sailed to the eastern coast of Mexico• Went inland to Tenochtitlan to defeat Aztec• Aztecs welcomed him- GOD• Tenochtitlan was a modern city. • Took emperor hostage-Moctezuma • Aztecs were defeated, city destroyed, riches taken• Mexico City stands where Tenochtitlan once stood• Inspired others to explore= $, God or Glory

Alvarez de Pineda

• First European to explore Texas’ coast• Mapped coastline from Florida to

Mexico

Shipwrecked in Texas

• Cabeza de Vaca on expedition led by Panfilo de Narvaez

• Expedition failed– Built boats to take them to Mexico– Shipwrecked in a storm near Galveston– Karankawas saved them-building fires, food, fish

– Spaniards brought disease killing Karankawas

– De Vaca and his slave- Estevanico traveled and traded with natives and noted the Texas interior

– Traveled around with Natives for 6 years

Section 2Spanish Explore Texas

• De Vaca’s tales of what he saw intrigued the Spanish

• Fertile land, “hairy” cows, cities made of gems and gold.

• Viceroy –official that represents the monarch-found de Vaca’s tales of cities of gold interesting

• Wanted to send an expedition to search

Fray Marcos

• Fray Marcos de Niza sent to check on stories validity• Priest• Estevanico went with the party

• Cibola was rumored to be close• Zuni killed Estevanico• Fray saw Cibola- pueblos in the sunset that

looked like cities of gold

Coronado

• After Frays discovery Viceroy Mendoza sent Francisco Coronado to lead an expedition to search for Cibola

• Coronado found the Zuni village and its fierce warriors, not golden cities!

• Coronado didn’t leave with Fray he sent out expeditions to find Cibola

• One group went into Grand Canyon• One group went to NM

Coronado

• Met a man, Turk ,and he spoke of riches and Coronado decided to investigate

• Crossed the plains of Texas• Got lost often because of terrain• Saw lots of “cows” on the plains• Went north to Kansas• Found no treasure, killed Turk• Reported back to viceroy, Texas was fine and no

gold was to be found

Moscoso

• Florida to Texas• De Soto led original expedition but died on

the Mississippi• Moscoso led expedition to the Brazos• Went back to Mississippi and sailed to Mexico

New Mexico

• Spain interest in Texas decreased b/c no treasure found

• New Mexico established and Santa Fe was as well

• Sent expeditions from Santé Fe to Texas• Traded with Jumano frequently• Abandoned trading post by San Angelo

Section 3La Salle Awakens Spanish Interest

• France will challenge Spanish claims• France will claim land from Texas to

Mississippi• La Salle led the first European expedition to

navigate the Mississippi• Named Louisiana• Brought settlers to North America looking for

mouth of the Mississippi• Missed it by 400 miles• Settled in Matagorda Bay

French Flag in Texas

• Built a stockade (enclosure of posts for a defense) known as Ft. St. Louis

• La Salle went to explore leaving settlers• Upon return all was destroyed• By 1686 20 remained of original 280• La Salle went east to explore and was killed by his

own expedition• Karankawa took over camp murdering most• Ft. St. Louis will give the US a flimsy claim to Texas

when it purchases the Louisiana Territory