1. Early Explorers Spanish Conquistadors and the French
Chapter 4
Early Explorers
Spanish Conquistadors
and
the French

2. Columbus’ Voyage 1492 discovered America Revisited 3 times
Set up permanent colony in West Indies
This allowed Spaniards to further explore the American mainland

3. Goals of the Conquistadors
Conquistador: Spanish soldiers
To bring religion to non-believers
To obtain wealth and glory
To find the legendary seven cities of Cibola
Defeated Native Americans
Strengthened Spanish claims
Made it possible for others to follow after them to build towns/roads and develop farms/ranches
Friars were members of Catholic religious orders
Entered lands
Established religious outposts called missions
Usually they were the first Spanish settlements in areas

4. Hernan Cortes February 1519 Headed inland toward Tenochtitlan
Aztecs believed he was Quetzalcoatl, their legendary god
Took Moctezuma, their emperor, hostage
Aztecs rebelled and killed Moctezuma
Advantages of Cortes: horses, weapons and allies (disgruntled enemies of Aztecs)
Tore down Tenochtitlan and plundered the city’s treasure
Built a new city named Mexico

5. Spain’s continued growth south
Spain controlled all the land of present day Mexico
Then spread in Central and South America
The explorers carried common childhood disease which the Indians were not immune to causing so many to die
Spanish completed their quest of Central and South America in a matter of years
Viceroyalty - land that is ruled by an official chosen by a monarch
Viceroy - the official who rules that land

6. Alonso Alvarez de Pineda
1519
First European to explore Texas coast
Sailed along uncharted coastline from Florida to Mexico
Mapped the land
Reported his finding to governor of Jamaica
Returned to Mexico to begin a settlement
Died following year in a Native American uprising.

7. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
1527
Sent to conquer area between Florida and Mexico
The Narvaez Disaster
Expedition led by Panfilo de Narvaez failed
Built five ships to sail to Mexico
Caught in storm, landed in current Galveston
Named island Malhada, isle of misfortune

8. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
Cabeza de Vaca one of few survivors who gained reputations as powerful shamans.
Karankawas were kind enough to give them food and shelter
Most explorers died within a few months
Later Karankawas affected by death and disease
They blamed explorers.
Cabeza de Vaca and Estevanico (first known black man to enter Texas) adopted ways of the Krankawas in order to survive
This allowed them to travel west toward Mexico
1536, they reached Culiacan, Mexico
shaman – medicine man

9. Cabeza de Vaca’s Relacion
His account of his time in Texas
It hinted of cities with magnificent houses and lands rich with copper, emeralds, and turquoise
Suggests expeditions be sent to search for treasures

10. Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza
He selected Fray Marcos de Niza to lead an expedition
Estevanico accompanied Fray Marcos as a guide and to ensure the friendship of Native Americans
1539, they moved northward
Estevanico rode ahead and returned with news of Cibola
An area with seven cities rich in gold, silver, and precious gems
Later Estevanico rode ahead but was killed by Zuni Indians when he ventured onto their land
Fray Marcos turned back and reports that he saw Cibola from a distance

11. Francisco Vazquez de Coronado
The Viceroy Mendoza, with Marcos’ report, decided to send a full-scale expedition
More than 300 soldiers and several hundred Native Americans
Led by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado
Fray Marcos accompanied them
5 months later, they find Cibola and the truth

12. Coronado’s aspirations
He still believed that treasure must lie somewhere
He divided his forces
One traveled west and reached the Grand Canyon before returning to main camp
His traveled east and met a Native American they named Turk
Turk told of a fabulous place called Quivira
Coronado decided to investigate and set out in the spring of 1541 with Turk
They found beautiful land with promising soil but no gold or metal so he put Turk to death
He claimed the Wichita country for the King of Spain and headed back
The Viceroy was disappointed

13. Other Explorers Hernando de Soto 1539
Landed in Florida
Moved westward and reached Mississippi River in 1541, died
Luis de Moscoso Alvarado led expedition further west.
The Caddos they met greeted them by saying “Tay-yas” meaning friends which is how Texas got its name.
Found no riches, returned to Mississippi
Built boats and sailed along coast to Mexico and discovered petroleum.

14. Loss of interest
No riches like those in Mexico were found in Texas so interests dwindled
Few attempts made to build settlements, towns instead
1609, permanent colony was set up on the Rio Grande named New Mexico
Expeditions sent out from there to explore surrounding area
Trades with Jumano and other Native Americans
The Legend of the Lady in Blue
A Spanish nun who claimed that her spirit made 500 trips from 1620 – 1631 all without physically leaving Spain
Natives told stories of having been taught by the Lady in Blue

15. La Salle In search of the Northwest Passage
A water route that would provide a shortcut to Asia
Claimed all the land that drained into the Mississippi River for France
Named it Louisiana after French King Louis XIV
Because France and Spain were at war
He wanted to establish a base for an attack on Mexico
This would also allow him to expand his trade empire

16. 1684, he set sail from France in hopes of building Fort St Louis near the mouth of the Mississippi, but he faced many problems:
La Salle was difficult to get along with and argued with his naval officers.
Pirates and shipwrecks plagued the expedition.
The Spaniards captured one of his four ships. La Salle lost crew members and supplies.
La Salle’s crew missed the Mississippi River. They landed instead at present-day Matagorda Bay.

17. Fort St Louis Harsh living conditions made many explorers sick.
The French had hostile relations with the local tribe, the Karankawas.
During La Salle’s search for a safer location for the fort, his men staged a mutiny
They murdered La Salle in 1687.
a revolt of soldiers or sailors against their leaders

18. Fort St Louis Destroyed and Spain reacts
The Karankawas attacked the vulnerable fort
Killed majority of men, others ran away
Took remaining 5 settlers captive
When the Spanish learned about La Salle’s arrival in their territory:
They set out to find the French intruders.
It took them a year to find La Salle’s fort.
The fort was deserted.
The Spanish realized that they would need to pay more attention to Texas if they wanted to control it.