European Explorers of Texas

​Age of Contact

Natural Texas and Age of Contact to Early Colonization

• Time period from 1500s to 1700s when European explorers were coming into contact

with Native cultures often resulting in disease, conflicts, and the claiming of lands

belonging to Natives for Spain.

• The Age of Contact in Texas begins in 1528 and continues through the 1600s.

• This time period in Texas is recorded by the mapping and writings of various

explorers, especially those of Cabeza de Vaca since he actually lived with various

Indian cultures in Texas.

• Many of the explorations were in search of riches, especially gold or silver.

Multiple Choice

What year did Age of Contact start?

• 1528

• 1492

• 1600

• 1621

Columbus

Impact of Christopher Columbus

Explorer Christopher Columbus reached the americas from
Europe in 1492.

Europeans arrived in Texas in the early 1500s. Their lives
would be permanently changed as European explorers and
others began to enter their land

Vocabulary

• 1519 -Alonso Alvarez de Pineda maps the Texas coast

Vocabulary

Era: Age of Contact – Spanish explorers made contact with Native People of

Texas

• France and Spain – the first two countries to explore Texas

• Spanish – the language spoken by people of Spain

• Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca – Explorer which was captured by the Karankawas

• Francisco Vasquez de Coronado – searched for Cibola, the City of Gold

• Estevanico – a North African slave who was captured with Cabeza de Vaca

• Conquistadores – Spanish soldier- adventurer in search of glory, gold and land.

The purpose of Spanish explorations

God

Gold

Glory

Multiple Select

What were the three reasons for Spanish exploration? (3 G's)

• God

• Gold

• Glamor

• Glory

1519

●Alonso Alvarez de Pineda becomes the
first European explorer to explore and
map the gulf of Mexico.

●He set out with four ships and 270 men.
They sailed around Florida and into the
Gulf of Mexico.

●The voyage was financed by Francisco de
Garay the Governor of the colony of
Santiago, which was on the island of
Jamaica at the time.

●He had a confrontation with Hernan Cortes
over lands of which Hernan had originally
claimed.

●He was killed in a battle with the
Huastec tribe.

Multiple Choice

What year did De Pineda explore the Gulf of Mexico?

• 1519

• 1492

• 1550

• 1449

Panfilo De Narvaez

1528

●Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and
three others from the failed
Narvaez expedition washed up on the
shores of a texas gulf island he
called Malhado meaning misfortune.

●He was held as a slave for
different Texas tribes and detailed
his travels in a diary which became
a primary source of the layout and
native people of Texas when it was
published in Spain.

●He made his way back to Mexico city
after 8 years and then Spain.

Cabeza captivity and exploration

●While Cabeza was held captive by
the Karankawa, he met Andres
Dorantes and Alonzo del Castillo.
Both of them were captains under
Narvaez. Estevanico was a slave
owned by Dorantes

●After two years of planning the
four men escaped. Shortly after
they encountered the Karankawas and
the Atakapas. They travelled
through many native villages and
when Cabeza removed an arrow from a
man’s chest and stitched the wound
he gained fame as a healer and this
helped them survive.

Multiple Select

First people to explore Texas after being captured by the Karankawa and Atakapan? (select all that apply)

• Cabeza de Vaca

• Estebanico

• Pan Filo

• Colombus

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado

1541 Francisco Vasquez de Coronado

Explorer francisco Vasquez de coronado cross the Texas
panhandle. In 1539 he had dispatched Fray Marcos de Niza and
estevanico to what is now New Mexico. Niza returned and told
him about a city of vast gold called Cibola. When he finally
reached the city he found out it was actually just a simple
Zuni village. Coronado was very upset with Fray Marcos de
Niza and sent him to Mexico City. After he crossed into
Texas he travelled he travelled across the Llano Estacado.
There he saw the Buffalo for the first time along the plains
and the plains tribes hunting them.

Hernan cortes

Spanish Explorers travel routes

​Hernan Cortes

Multiple Choice

Coronado and Hernan Cortes were _______?

• conquistadors

• Native

• Buffalo