Name:______________________________________________ Date:______________ Per:_____
Chapter 4 Section 2: The Spanish Explore Texas
1. How did de Vaca describe his journey through Texas?
He described large “cows” which were buffalo, Texas was “vast and handsome” and “very fertile”, he
said he found no gold but had heard of magnificent cities and land filled with copper, emeralds, and
turquoise
2. Who was the highest ranking Spanish official in New Spain? What did he do after hearing de
Vaca’s reports?
Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza, he wanted to organize a large expedition immediately to
explore the new lands, He sent Fray Marcos de Niza and Estevanico on an advance expedition
to check on de Vaca’s stories
3. How did Estevanico and Fray Marcos describe Cibola? Cibola was actually a what?
They said Cibola was 30 days away, filled with gold, silver, and precious gems; it was actually a pueblo
near the present day border of AZ and NM
4. Who did Viceroy Mendoza choose to lead the large expedition to find Cibola?
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, Fray Marcos also went along with more than 300 hundred Spanish
soldiers and several hundred Native Americans
5. What did the expedition find instead of gold and treasure?
They found only mud, stone, and angry Zuni warriors ready to defend their village
6. What were other locations to which the expedition traveled? Did they ever find cities of gold
and treasure?
Coronado divided his forces; a group traveled west across present-day NM and AZ reaching the Grand
Canyon before returning; Another group traveled to near present-day Albuquerque, NM and set up a
camp; after hearing of Quivira, the expedition traveled north through the Great Plains to near
present-day Wichita, KS; they never found treasure or cities of gold
7. What feat did Hernan de Soto accomplish? Who took over the expedition after de Soto died and
how far did they travel?
The first European to reach the Mississippi River; Luis de Moscoso took over and led the expedition as
far west as the Brazos River and then back to the Mississippi R.
8. Between 1528 and 1543, why did Spain’s interest in Texas decrease?
No treasure had been found
9. What did the Spanish do in 1609?
Set up a permanent colony on the upper waters of the Rio Grande, called it New Mexico and named
Santa Fe the capital
10. With which Native American tribe did the Spanish establish relations?
Jumanos