1. Age of Contact Common Assessment Study Guide
Christopher Columbus
*Rediscovered the Americas while searching for a faster trade route to Asia
Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda
*1519 (Must Know Date) 1st European to observe and map the coastline of Texas. First European to set foot on the Texas coast.
Hernan Cortez
*Aztecs thought he was a god *Captured Aztec Leader Montezuma
*Defeated Aztecs in several bloody battles
*Renamed Aztec capitol Mexico City
*Sent Gold and Silver back to Spain
Estevanico
*African who was part of the Navarez Expedition.
One of the four Survivors with Cabeza de Vaca
Only member of Cabeaza de Vaca’s group to search for the 7 Cities of Gold
*Died on the search for the 7 Cities of Gold
Navarez
*Was given Florida by king of Spain
* Stranded by his ships he built rafts
* Died with most of his men during a hurricane *Found no Gold
Coronado
*Found place called Cibola but no gold just adobe * Found Quivera but no gold
And then killed “the Turk” for lying (he took him all the way to Kansas)
Corpus Christi de la Ysleta
* Built in El Paso to Convert Native Americans to Christianity
*1st Spanish Mission in Texas
God, Glory and Gold
*Convert the natives to Christianity
*Conquer all those they met
*Find and bring back riches to Spain
Spanish Influence on the Americas
* Conquered Aztecs *Brought Diseases
* Introduced the Horse to Americas
*Brought Spanish Language and Culture.

2. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca *2nd in Command of Narvaez Expedition
*Escaped the Karawankawa with Estevanico and the other 2 last survivors.
*Learn to use native herbs for healing and to perform surgery. (This keeps them alive during their escape)
*First European to explore the interior (inside) of Texas.
*Tells the story of the 7 Cities of Cibola (Gold).
Friar Marcos de Neza, Estevanico & the Search for the 7 Cities of Gold
*Friar Marcos sends Estevanico ahead Large Cross = Big Cities Small Cross = Small Cities
*Estevanico is Killed by Zuni Pueblos when Friar Marcos arrives he sees golden roof tops and leaves to report his findings.
*Golden roof tops turn out later to be adobe houses reflecting the sunlight.
Conquering the Aztecs
*defeating the Aztecs in many battles
*starvation
*Spreading Smallpox to the Aztecs
*superior weapons
*In the beginning the Aztecs thought that Cortes was the God Quetzalcoatl
Friars
*Spanish priests who were supported by the church and Spain to convert Native Americans to Christianity.
After the Search for the 7 Cities of Cibola (Gold)
*After failing to find the seven cities of gold with De Soto, Friar Marcos & Estevanico, and Coronado
Spain loses interest in Texas and concentrated on Mexico and South America where they did find gold and silver.