Texas ExplorersFrance, England, and Spain Come to the New World

The Big Three• After Columbus “discovered” America – the race

for power began

• In Europe – England, France, and Spain were in a power struggle• To be the winner – each country explored the

New World hoping to claim the land and all the power that went with it

France SpainEngland

The Search for Gold, God, and Glory• For centuries the “Big Three” had fought over land in

Europe

• All these wars cost money and after Columbus, the kings of Europe realized they could have more land and all the riches that came with it

• So they began sending explorers across the ocean in hopes that they would return with fortunes in gold, silver, and other precious stones and metals

The Search for Gold, God, and Glory• Once the reports started to reach Europe of the “heathens”

that inhabited the land, religious leaders became involved in the attempt to settle the New World

• They sent over priests to educate the Native Americans about God and to save their souls• This would eventually lead to the Spanish Mission System

that was used to settle Texas

The Search for Gold, God, and Glory• Most of the men who led to expeditions across

Europe came from poor families or no family at all

• They were searching for a better life

• If they were successful in their voyages they would bring honor and glory home to their countries and would forever be remembered as the men who helped build an empire

The Conquistadors• Spanish Explorers at this

time are called Conquistadors which means conquerors.

• They were looking for glory, gold, and adventure.

• They would often practice brutality to get it.

Cortes• Cuban governor wanted to explore the

continent so he sent Hernan Cortes

• Mission:

• Report on the “rich and powerful” civilization rumored to be there.

• Clashed many times with the natives along the Coast

• Took Aztec’s gold, silver and land by force

1519-1521

IMPORTANCE TO TEXAS• He was never in what would be Texas!!!!!• His success got the Spanish government

and other conquistadors thinking that there may be more gold in New Spain (including in the area that would become Texas)

Alonso Alvarez de Pineda

• In 1519 – Pineda sailed from his base camp in Jamaica into the Gulf of Mexico• He was the first European to map the coast line

of Texas• Pineda never actually set foot in Texas, but his

contribution was important because his maps were used by later explorers

First Glimpse of Texas: Pineda

Cabo Rojo

Tampico

Jamaica

1519

Spanish Governor of Jamaica sent Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda

His Mission: Map the Gulf Coast between Florida and Mexico

Sailed to Cabo Rojo, Mexico• Run in with Cortes• Cortes arrests some of Pineda’s

men• Pineda retreats to modern day

Tampico

He tries to establish a colony but is killed by Natives in 1520

Pineda’s Importance to Texas

Importance to Texas Never actually set foot in Texas But, he was the first European to set eyes on what would

become our state Texas History BEGINS with Pineda’s maps (YOU NEED TO

KNOW THAT DATE!!!!!)

Cabeza de Vaca1528-1536

Importance to TexasTexas’ first explorer

• De Vaca and his fellow Spaniards were the FIRST Europeans to set foot in what would become Texas

• Shipwrecked and was captured by American Indians, ended up traveling across Texas

• 1537 – Cabeza de Vaca Reports on TexasTexas’ first author

• When de Vaca got back to Spain, he wrote a book about his experiences with the Native people of Texas called La Relacion

de Vaca is important to Texas because he was the first to explore the land and wrote detailed descriptions of his journey across Texas

Cabeza de Vaca Journey

The Search For Gold

• Seven Cities of Cibola – stories of riches and limitless gold inspired Spanish led expeditions into Texas

• Cabeza de Vaca’s book inspired others to continue to search for Cibola

Coronado1540-1542

After the reports of “actual” cities of gold Mendoza sent another expedition - Francisco Vasquez de Coronado• Travelled to the Zuni village of Cibola and did not find any golden rooftops• Not wanting to come home empty handed, he split his party into 2 groups.• One group west (first to see the Grand Canyon)

Cibola

• The other east• There they meet El

Turco (the Turk)• Said he knew of

another city of gold “Quivira”

• Made it to Quivira and there was no city of gold.

• Had El Turco killed and claimed the land for Spain

Coronado

Importance to Texas: Explored the Panhandle of Texas Told about the “Sea of Grass” that would be great for

cattle and farming

France Enters the Race for Texas

• In 1683 Robert La Salle gained approval from the French King to settle a colony where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico

• He set sail with 4 ships, 280 men, and French colonists

• The French wanted a position from which they could attack Spanish Mexico and block any further English-American

La Salle Misjudges• Instead of reaching the Mississippi River, La Salle ended up

shipwrecked at Matagorda Bay on the Texas Coast

• 1685 La Salle established Fort St Louis and set up a permanent French settlement in Texas

• He journeyed west across the state keeping a detailed journey of his explorations

• He once again set out east in an attempt to find the mouth of the Mississippi, but he was murdered by his own men who had lost faith in his abilities

• Those who had stayed behind were eventually massacred by the Karankawa

In 1995 Texas Archeologist found one of La Salle’s ships the Belle on the ocean floor of Matagorda Bay. The ship had been mired in mud of some 300 years and was a very important discovery.

• La Salle and Fort St. Louis caused the Spanish to take a new interest in the Southwest and Texas.

• Only Spain’s fear of losing the land to the French would force them to come back to Texas

They established the first mission in Texas near El Paso named Corpus Christi de la Ysleta.

France Scares Spain• After several expeditions into Texas, the Spanish lost interest

in the land because of its harsh climates and Native Americans

• However, when the Spanish heard about Fort St Louis, they feared the French would claim Texas and all its land tipping the balance of power in favor of France

• So once again the Spanish Crown began sending expeditions into Texas to claim it for Spain and thus ensure that Spain remained the dominant European power