1. Cabeza de Vaca (1492? – 1559?)

2. Cabeza de Vaca
In 1528, de Vaca and 15 men survived a deadly storm and landed near Galveston Island
Karankawa Indians helped him and his men survive: provided food, clothing, shelter
Rescued in 1536 with only 4 men still alive
Returned to Spain to tell their story
Met an African slave named Esteban who told of the Seven Cities of Cibola
Searched for the cities of gold but found that the buildings were only made of adobe and were glistening from the sunlight

3. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado (1510-1559)

4. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Born in Spain in 1510; became governor of one of provinces in Mexico around 1535
Coronado took 1,000 Spanish soldiers and American Indians along with herds of livestock to find the “cities of gold”
In 1549 they found what they thought was one of the cities of Cibola; it wasn’t rich, and it was the pueblo of the hostile Zuni American Indians
Zuni Indians attacked Coronado and his men with arrows and rocks
Coronado’s men were too strong; Zunis fled and Coronado’s men took over the pueblo (near the Grand Canyon)

5. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado (continued)
Other Indian tribes heard of the Spaniards and sent representatives to meet them; American Indians made a peace offering and began trading with Spanish
Coronado continued search for gold after El Turco told of the rich city of Quivira
Found the city but it was a very poor Indian village; Coronado realized El Turco had lied to him and had him killed

6. Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (1643-1687)

7. Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
Born in France; in 1685, La Salle set out to find a river route across North America and found the Mississippi River
Claimed the land around the river for the French king, Louis XIV, and called it Louisiana
Went home to France to bring people back with him to start a colony in Louisiana; when he returned he missed Louisiana by 400 miles
Built a fort on the coast near Matagordo Bay on the East Coast of Texas
Many died there from sickness because of the marshy unhealthy land

8. Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (continued)
La Salle left the fort to find help but his soldiers turned on him and killed him
At same time the Karankawa attacked the French fort and left it deserted
First French colony failed – but had threatened Spain’s claim to East Texas