The Age of Exploration
During the Renaissance period Europe experienced a rebirth in knowledge. One of
the results was exploration. The inventions and uses of the caravel, a new type of
ship, and sextant, a tool to follow the stars, plus the realization that the world was
not flat encouraged countries to send sailors to trade with other places.
“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”
Christobal Colon (Christopher Columbus), born in Genoa, Italy sailed under the
Spanish flag for the monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Columbus
sailed west to get to the east, meaning India. On October 12, 1492, three ships,
La Nina, La Pinta, La Santa Maria discovered San Salvador, an island in the
Bahamas. Columbus named it San Salvador because it saved their lives, especially
his. He named the natives Indians because he thought he had discovered India.
Today the islands in the Caribbean Sea are called the West Indies. On his 4
journeys, Columbus never set foot on North America – only the West Indies,
South America, and Central America. Cuba became the capital of Nueva Espana
(New Spain) in the early 1500s. New expeditions were sent out in 1519 to explore
South, Central, and North America. Great wealth was found in South and Central
America but not in North America. The men sent were conquistadors
(conquerors) and friars (priests). The 3 “G”s were Gold, God, Glory.
1519
Central America had gold and silver. Hernando Cortes conquered the Aztec
Empire led by Montezuma in his capital Tenochtitlan. Cotes was able to do this
with 600 soldiers and help from thousands of other natives who hated the Aztecs.
South America had gold and silver. Francisco Pizarro conquered the Incas.
The Spaniards had steel, gunpowder, horses, and disease that helped to destroy
vast civilizations. By the late 1500s, 15,000 Spaniards controlled 5,000,000
Indians in the Americas.
Also in 1519 an expedition was sent to North America to map the Gulf of Mexico.
It was led by Alonso Pineda. He reported seeing giants, pygmies, and large
amounts of gold. He stayed at the Rio de las Palmas (Rio Grande).
In 1528, a new expedition led by Panfilo de Narvaez, better known as the Unlucky
Explorer, was sent to North America. In an earlier unsuccessful attempt to
overthrow Cortes, an eyeball was plucked out. The Spanish now referred to him
as Narvaez the Unlucky. He was given 4 ships, 400 men, and 82 horses. His
assignment was to follow Pineda’s route, but being Narvaez, he decided to go
inland against the advice of his treasurer Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and a
Moorish fortune teller. After a few months, he only had 200 men left, no horses,
and he had sent his ships to Rio de las Palmas. He had found no gold, but hunger,
disease, and Indians killed his men. They built 5 leaky tubs, and they set sail for
the ships at the Rio de las Palmas. Only 80 men will make it to Isla Malhado
(Galveston Island) in November of 1528. By spring of 1529, only 16 were left, and
they became slaves of the Karankawa Indians. Within 5 years, 1834, only 4 would
still be alive. The most famous of the survivors were Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca,
and Esteban the Moorish slave. These 4 men were eventually allowed to roam
free because after a few strategically said words, the Karankawa thought they
were shaman (medicine men). In 1536, the 4 men made it back to Mexico City,
the new capital of Nueva Espana. They reported:
1. Humped back cows
2. Hearing of Golden Cities
3. The Indescribable
The viceroy (governor) wanted Cabeza de Vaca to return, but he said
NNNOOOOO! Esteban was forced to return to North America because he was a
Moorish slave.
1539 – The viceroy (governor) appointed a friar, Fray (friar) Marcos de Niza to
lead the expedition into the Northern lands with Esteban as the guide. They were
looking for the Seven cities of Cibola or better known as the Seven Cities of Gold.
Some referred to them as El Dorado.
Legend of the Crosses – Fray Marcos was not a brave man so he sent Esteban on
ahead to check things out. Fray Marcos gave him a way to report about his
findings.
Little cross = Little gold
Medium Cross = Medium gold
Big Cross = BIG gold!
According to legend a big cross came back to Fray Marcos. When the priest got to
the place in New Mexico, he found out that Esteban was dead. What he saw in
the distance created the story of seven great golden cities = Cibola. What did he
see? Adobe villages at Sunset. Which tribe did they belong to? Zuni-Pueblo
culture. Fray Marcos returned to Mexico City, now the capital of Nueva Espana
(New Spain), and told them of great golden cities.
1540 – Now a huge expedition to Cibola was assembled by a 29 year old, blond
hair, blue eyed Spaniard. Francisco Coronado led 300 Spaniards, 1000 Indians,
1000 horses, 600 pack animals, and droves of cattle, sheep, goats, and hogs.
There were 6 bronze cannon, several dozen crossbowmen. Everyone knew the
leader Coronado because he wore golden armor. After 77 days and many
hardships they found the villages. The Village People (YMCA!) put up a fight but
were eventually defeated due to better weapons and armor of the Spanish. Fray
Marcos was sent home in disgrace.
Coronado sent out 2 expeditions – one to the west and one to the east.
West – Lopez de Cardenas found the Grand Canyon
East – Hernando de Alvarado found Tiguez and stories of great wealth to the east.
What direction did Coronado go? East.
When he got to Tiguez, a slave told a story of Gran Quivira where gold grew in
bells on trees and golden fish in the river. Coronado took El Turco the slave with
him as a guide to Gran Quivira. They crossed the panhandle of Texas and saw
Palo Duro Canyon and the High Plains. They named the plains of Texas Llano
Estacado (Staked Plains).
They observed the first Thanksgiving with a group of Indians who had helped
them in 1542, 80 years before the Pilgrims. By the time they made it to Gran
Quivira, they suspected there would be no wealth. They made it to Kansas.
Coronado had El Turco’s tongue cut out and then executed. Coronado’s
recommendation about Texas was Don’t Go Back.
1540 – Another expedition was sent from Florida led by Hernando de Soto. He
discovered the Mississippi River for the Spanish. When he died there, Luis
Moscoso took over and made it to East Texas. He saw bubbling black stuff coming
out of the ground. He said it was good to keep the torches going. But they found
no gold. He recommended Don’t Go Back.
1598 – Juan de Onate established El Paso del Norte, a shallow crossing of the Rio
Grande. It was important because it was on the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico,
which was founded in 1609. He recommended Don’t Go Back.
What made the Spanish suddenly want Texas for themselves? In 1685 the French
landed at Matagorda Bay led by Rene Robert Cavalier Sieur de la Salle. He
established Fort Saint Louis. He brought 150 men, women, childen, and 8 small
cannon. After 2 years only 40 colonists were left. He took 12 men and marched
towards the Mississippi River to try to bring back help but La Salle’s men mutinied
and killed La Salle.
What happened to the colonists? They died from disease and Karankawa Indian
attacks.
Why did the Spanish want Texas? The Spanish wanted Texas because they didn’t
want France to have it!