European Exploration

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Spanish Conquest

• Spain wanted to expand their empire by
  controlling the Americas
• Wanted riches of the land and to spread
  Christianity
• Expeditions were led by conquistadors soldiers
  and adventurers in search of glory, gold and land
• Conquistadors wore suits of armor and steel
  helmets.
• They would often use American Indians as guides

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Cortes 1519 Spain

• Conquistador that explored Mexico in 1519
• Conquered the Aztecs Empire (Tenochtitlan) in
  1521
• Most of the riches of the Aztec village were sent
  to Spain
• Cortes built Mexico City where Tenochtitlan once
  stood

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Pineda 1519 Spain

• Searched for a northern waterway to the Pacific
  Ocean
• Followed the coastline from Florida to Texas in
  the Gulf of Mexico
• First European to map the Texas coast

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Cabeza de Vaca 1527 1536 Spain

• Built small boats and eventually landed near
  Matagorda Bay, Texas
• Took over the expedition after Narvaez drowned
  when his poorly anchored boat washed out to sea.
• Lived with the Karankawas where himself and the
  crew were held captive
• Worked as a servant, trader and healer
• Kept a journal about his life with the Karankawas

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Estevanico

• 1st African to explore the Texas coast.
• Traveled with Cabeza De Vaca and served as a
  trader, translator and guide
• Was killed by the Zuni Indians while serving as
  a guide for Niza in searching for the lost cities
  of gold.

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Coronado 1540 Spain

• Went in search of Cibola Niza was his guide
• Reached Cibola and conquered the Zuni Indians,
  but they did not find any gold
• Sent Niza back to Mexico City
• Heard tales of Quivira, another city full of gold
• Traveled throughout Texas but never found gold

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De Soto 1539 Spain

• Also searched for Cibola
• Landed in Florida in 1539
• Explored the southern United States
• Died of a fever in 1542
• Moscos Alvarado took command of the expedition

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Moscoso 1542 Spain

• Led the expedition toward Mexico City
• Never found any gold
• Reported back to Spain about the geographically
  varied land
• Spain was only interested in gold and silver
• Spanish expeditions slowed at this point since
  they never found any riches

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Onate 1598 Spain

• After the Coronado de Soto expeditions Spain
  lost interest in the New Spain since it didnt
  produce and treasures or riches
• During the 1550s and 1590s a new goal was to
  spread Christianity and look for riches one last
  time
• In 1598 Onate took 500 colonists north to settle
• He claimed the Rio Grande region for Spain
• The settlement was not successful
• Spain lost interest in Texas for the next 80
  years

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La Salle 1682 France

• In 1682 La Salle sought to expand the French
  Empire
• Claimed the land that drained by the Mississippi
  for France and named it Louisiana after King
  Louis XIV.
• Returned to France in 1684 and requested to set
  up a colony in the region
• Became lost and landed in Martagorda Bay, Texas
  in 1685

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La Salle

• Set up Fort St. Louis with 300 soldiers and
  settlers
• Hunger and disease killed many settlers
• They were attacked by the Karankawas
• By July 1685, over half of the settlers were dead
• La Salle decided to look for help. He left with
  17 soldiers. While on his journey he was killed.
• In 1688-1689 the settlement was attacked by the
  Karankawas, they killed all the adults and took
  the 5 children captive. (They were later rescued
  by other expeditions)
• La Salle was blamed for the failure of this
  expedition

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Spanish Reaction

• Spain realized that France had gained control of
  their territory
• They knew they had to start settling the area to
  keep their power in North America
• This began a time of Spanish Missions.

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Effects of Spanish Exploration

• Spanish changed the lives of the Native people by
  spreading diseases such as measles and smallpox
• American Indians died from this disease because
  they had never been exposed before
• Brought new plants and animals such as bananas,
  cattle, and horses
• Took back to Spain American plants and animals,
  such as corn, peanuts and turkey
• Horses changed the lives of the plains Indians,
  who learned to become better hunters and fighters