Spanish Exploration

Columbus's First Exploration

Aug 3, 1492

Christopher Columbus presented an idea to The King and Queen of spain, but he did not have a go until later. Finally they let him go and said he could keep 10% of what he found. He reached land thinking it was Asia and he called it the Caribbean. He left 40 men behind in a makeshift settlement and returned to Spain. Columbus was hoping to find gold and riches which he didnt. It was important that he found those or else he King and Queen would get mad.

Pineda's Voyage

Jan 1, 1519

Pineda commanded a spanish expedition that sailed The Gulf of Mexico coast line. Pineda was the first on to map out the gulf of Mexico's Coast line. He sent some messengers that got arrested by Cortes. Then Cortes and Pineda were rivals and then Pineda retreated and sailed back down to Mexico and created a settlement in Rio Panuco.

Cortes's Voyage

Jan 1, 1521

Hernan Cortes took a voyage hoping to conquer the Aztec Empire. He and his men got fought off by the Aztecs. He later returned to fight them and conquer them. Which he successfully did.

DeVaca Voyage

Apr 18, 1528

DeVaca left Spain in search of the Americas in 1528 to explore the land. They landed in florida with a shortage of food. His army built boats and saild on the coast of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. They landed on a island which was Galveston. Three boats were lost over the sail. When they landed on Galveston most were killed by starvation, or Indian attacks.

DeVaca Discovers Texas

Jan 1, 1536

. DeVaca and his men that survived lived with the karankawas and got fed and got helped. DeVaca took his little medical skills and made himself into a medicine man. In 1534, he and the other Spanish survivors, Alfonso de Castillo, Andres Dorantes, and Esteván or Estebanico, started west across Texas and Mexico. DeVaca returned to Spain after reaching a Spanish settlement and seeing the treatment of Indians. He was outraged and later was charged with malfeasance in office, he was sent to Africa.

Moscoso' Expedition

Apr 7, 1538

When Hernando de Soto died on May 21, 1542, Moscoso succeed him as commander of the army. Luis de Moscoso Alvarado with the army marched west possibly reaching northwest Louisiana and then marched to the west coming to Texas. Finding no gold and fighting with the indians they retuned to the Mississippi River and built seven bergantines, or pinnaces, with which to seek a water route to Mexico.They had followed the coasts of Louisiana and Texas and eventually reached Mexico City.

Fray Marcos and Esteban Journey

Mar 7, 1539

The main goal was to find news of any wealthy northern cities, rumors of which had been reported 1536 by Cabeza de Vaca when he and his party, wandered near the present US-Mexico border. Esteban left trails of white crosses so that when Fray Marcos was ready he could follow. Then Esteban reached the 7 cities of gold. He was killed by the Indians. Fray Marcos reported the 7 cities of gold without entering it. Which led to Cabeza De Vaca's expidition.

Coronado's Expedition

Apr 1, 1541

Fray de Niza described Quivira and Cibola as wealthy. When Coronado reached Cibola he figured there was no riches. He was right. He had ejected Fray de Niza for the lies. The expediton continued and they traveled to Quivira and found no transportable riches and also found no wealth. The second journey was guided by Pedro de Tovar and it was important because they discovered the Americas more.