Texas Explorers

Hernán Cortés vs. Álvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca Warm-up Double Bubble Map Hernán Cortés vs. Álvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca (Frame of Reference): If you could have been a part of either of these explorer's expeditions, which would you have joined? Why?

Hernán Cortés Years of Service: 1519-1521 Country: Spain Location: Eastern and Central Mexico Important Events: Attacked and destroyed the Aztec emperor Moctezuma Claimed the territory now known as Mexico and named it New Spain He took all of the Aztec Empire’s gold and riches and sent them to Spain

Alonso Álvarez de Pineda Years of Service: 1521 Location: Texas Coast Country: Spain Events: First European to create a map of the Texas Coast Named the Rio Grande … "Río de las Palmas"

Cabeza de Vaca Years of Service: 1527 Country: Spain Location: Tampa Bay, FL, Galveston, TX, East Coast to West Coast, Mexico City Events: Mission was to claim the territory between Florida and Mexico for Spain Shipwrecked in Galveston, TX Slave to various Native American tribes for 7 years … used as a shaman (healer)

Estevanico Years of Service: 1528-1539 Location: Galveston to Rio Grande Country: Africa Events: Was Andrés Carranza’s slave Travelled from Galveston to the Rio Grande with Cabeza de Vaca … served as an interpreter (translator) First African Texas

Fray Marcos de Niza Years of Service: 1537-1541 Country: Italy Location: Mexico City to Arizona/New Mexico Events: Described Cibola as being as large as Mexico City and glittering in GOLD Served as Coronado’s guide to the Zuni Pueblo, or Seven Cities of Cibola In 1541, he returned to Mexico in shame!

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Years of Service: 1539-1540 Location: Texas Country: Spain Events: A conquistador who lead an expedition in search of Cibola and Quivira. The “Cities of Gold” were never found … instead, he found Palo Duro Canyon This expedition led to Estevanico’s death!! 

La Salle Years of Service: 1666 - 1687 Location: Great Lakes, Canada, Mississippi River to Gulf of Mexico, Matagorda Bay Country: France Events: Claimed all the territory along the mouth of the Mississippi River for France Name the territory “Louisiana”, after King Louis AND Queen Anne Constructed the city of New Orleans Built Fort St. Louis in Texas Assassinated by his OWN MEN!