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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.