Transcript Spanish Exploration

Spanish Exploration
A look into the world of
Exploration!
Christopher Columbus
• 1492, Columbus sails the ocean blue
• He and his crew land in Hispanola
• Called Native Americans “Indios” meaning
Indians
Spain establishes colonies
• Reasons for exploration
– Wealth (Gold)
– land = power (Glory)
– Spread the Christian faith (God)
• 1519, Pineda and his crew were the first
Europeans to explore the Texas coastline
Hernando Cortes
• Searching for a rumored wealthy civilization
• He founded the city of Veracruz
• Aztec Empire
– Capitol – Tenochtitlan
– Emperor Montezuma believed Cortes to be the
legendary God, Quetzalcoatl
• Battles
– Cortes’ men took over the Aztec gold and silver
– Named the new capitol, Mexico City
Panfilo de Narvaez
• Was granted the land of Florida
• Expedition
– 400 men and 82 horses were led ashore into present
day Florida
• November 1528, a hurricane hits
• Narvaez drowned
• 80 survivors went ashore in Galveston
• First known Europeans to set foot in Texas
– Karanakawas felt bad for them; gave them food
– the Karankawas began dying of small pox and
influenza
Cabeza de Vaca
• De Vaca was a survivor of the Narvaez
Expedition
• Karankawa teachings
– De Vaca learned herbal remedies for the sick
– began to perform surgeries
• First Europeans to explore the interior of Texas
• Seven Cities of Gold
– City of Cibola – an entire city made of gold
– There was no city of gold
• saw the shiny roofs of the adobe homes when the sun hit
them just right
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
• 1540 – went to search for the 7 Cities of
Cibola
• Traveled west to present day New Mexico
• Were the first Europeans to see the Grand
Canyon!
• Failed mission: never found gold!
Hernando de Soto
• 1539 – left Spain to search for the Cities of
Cibola
• Explored parts of present day:
– Georgia
– North & South Carolina
– Tennessee
– Alabama
– Mississippi
– Arkansas
• First major expedition to explore the
interior of North America
French Exploration
Rene-Robert LaSalle
• Reached the mouth of the Mississippi on
April 9, 1682.
• Named the territory “La Louisiane” or
Louisiana, in honor of the french King.
• Tried to establish a colony on the
Texas/Louisiana border.
– Fort St. Louis
• Colony failed due to lack of supplies and drought
• LaSalle was killed by his own men.