TEXAS EXPLORERSWhat’s Important!

Cortes

Date: Feb, 1519 Country: Spain Area Explored: Eastern coast of

Mexico Accomplishments:

Aztecs welcome him because they though he was a god

Conquered Aztec capital (Tenochtitlan) and made it the Capital of New Spain (Mexico City)

Inspired more Spanish to come to America

De Pineda

Date: 1519 Country: Spain Area Explored: Texas coast Accomplishments:

Observed and mapped the coast of Texas

Narvaez

Date: 1527 Country: Spain Area Explored: Area between S.

Texas and N. Mexico Accomplishments:

First Spaniard to enter Texas

Cabeza de Vaca

Date: 1527 Country: Spain Area Explored: Galveston Island area Accomplishments:

After shipwreck he adopted the ways of the Kawakawa to survive and lived with them for 6 years and became a Shaman

First to report buffalo and fertile lands in Texas

Passed along tales of cities with magnificent houses and lands rich in precious metals

Estevanico

Date: 1527 Country: Spain Area Explored: Galveston Island area Accomplishments:

1st known African American in Texas Reported news of an area called Cibola,

filled with riches and gems Accompanied Fray Marcos to ensure

friendship with the Native Americans

Fray Marcos

Date: 1539 Country: Spain Area Explored: New Mexico and

Arizona Accomplishments:

Saw Cibola from a distance and reported as a city of Gold

Took Estevanico as a guide

Coronado Date: 1540 Country: Spain Area Explored: New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and

Kansas Accomplishments:

aw: Palo Duro Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Great Plains (Feared losing his way because the grass “never failed to become erect after if had been trodded on”

Found Cibola – disappointed because it was only a Zuni Village

Founded Wichita and claimed for Spain while traveling North to Quivira

Killed the Turk who told him gold was in Quivira when it was never there

De Soto

Date: 1539 Country: Spain Area Explored: Florida to Mississippi

River Accomplishments:

1st European to reach the Mississippi River

Died at the Mississippi River in Spring 1542

Moscoso

Date: 1542 Country: Spain Area Explored: Mississippi to Brazos Accomplishments:

Explored East Texas

La Salle

Date: 1582 and 1584 Country: France Area Explored: Mississippi to Texas coast Accomplishments:

Claimed all land around the Mississippi river for Spain

Went with 300 colonists to Louisiana in 4 ships, all were separated, they missed the mouth of Mississippi river and ended up in Matagorda Bay Texas

Built Fort St. Louis Gave French a claim to Texas