1. European Explorers That Impacted Texas

2. The way to get power and wealth was
New World
N. & S. America
European nations
* Early exploration in the “new world” of the Americas was motivated by the economic idea called Mercantilism- the belief that a nation’s (country’s) power is based on its wealth ($$)
African nations
The way to get power and wealth was
for nations to claim land in many areas and
also to trade with other nations

3. Christopher Columbus Date: 1492
Country: Sailed for Spain but was Portuguese
Where: Cuba and islands of the Caribbean
Credited with being the first European to explore the Caribbean.
Columbus-

4. Hernán Cortez Date: 1519 Country: Spain Where: Mexico
Explored and conquered the natives of Mexico.
First European to explore Central America
Recovered vast wealth in gold and silver
Catalyst for future exploration of the Americas

5. Alonso Alvarez de Pineda
Date: 1519
Country: Spain
Gulf of Mexico coast
First person to map the
coastline of Texas
What he did:
Explored and mapped the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas.
What impact?
- Map allowed other explorers to find Texas

6. Alvar Cabeza de Vaca Date: 1528-1536 Country: Spain Where: Shipwreck
near Galveston
What he did-
Lived among Karankawa and others
-Adapted to Native American culture, learned languages
Impact?
1st to explore South Tex

7. Hernando De Soto Date: 1539-1542 Country: Spain
Where: Southeastern U. S.
What he did: Explored
Mississippi River
Impact?
Died before reaching Texas
2nd in command Luis de Moscoso lead expedition around Tex coast to Mexico

8. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado
Date:
Country: Spain
Where: N. Texas, New Mex.&
Kansas
What he did:
- searched for cities of gold:
Cíbola & Quivira
Impact?
No gold, but found good land
for farming, ranching
Discovered and explored
N. West Texas

9. Sieur de La Salle Date: 1681-1682, 1685 Country: France
Where: Mississippi River
What: He explored Mississippi
River and E. Tex coast
Impact?
Got lost & landed at Matagorda
Bay, Texas
Established Fort St. Louis for France

10. Sieur de La Salle’s Journey