Download Explorers Chart Key

Explorer
Country
Exploring
For
Years
Known For
Why in
Texas
Additional
Notes
Sailed west in
the hopes of
finding a faster
sea route to
Asia.
1492
Exploring the
West Indies,
and New World
Did not go to
Texas
Failure-didn’t
find a faster
route to Asia.
Success-he
opened up the
New World to
Europe.
Started Spanish
exploration of
North America
Spain
1519
Creating maps
He was
exploring new
territories, and
looking for a
new route to
Asia
SuccessMapped the
coast of Texas.
Failure-Failed to
find new route
to the Pacific.
1st to observe
and map the
Texas coast.
Spain
1521
Conquering
Mexico and the
Aztec Empire
Did not go to
Texas.
SuccessConquered the
Aztecs, and
became the first
Governor of
New Spain
(Mexico).
Inspired others
to explore more
territory in North
America.
Destroyed the
Aztec capital
and build the
new city of
Mexico City on
it’s ruins.
Spain
1528-1536
Shipwrecked on
the Texas
coast.
Heading to
Florida, and
shipwrecked in
route.
(Accident)
Failure-Found
no gold, or
glory. He did
meet the
Karankawas.1st
explorer in
Texas, 1st
author of
Relacion.
Told tales of
cites of gold-led
to more
exploration.
Was enslaved
by the
Karankawas for
several years,
until he
escaped.
Pineda
Cabeza de
Vaca
Impact on
Texas
Spain
Columbus
Cortez
Impact of
Expedition
Explorer
Country
Exploring
For
Years
Known For
Why in
Texas
Impact on
Texas
Additional
Notes
Spain
1540-1542
Exploring the
Panhandle
region of Texas
Looking for the
Seven Cities of
Gold.
Failure-Found
no gold, no
settlements.
Crossed the
Sea of Grass,
Panhandle
Told about
Remember
buffalo, villages, Coronado was
Texas lands in
near Colorado.
the Panhandle.
Spain
1542-1543
Exploring East
Texas
Looking for
gold, took over
the expedition
when the leader
died.
Failure-no gold,
did find
petroleum
1st European in
East Texas
France
1685-1687
1st French
explorer in
Texas.
He was lost,
looking for the
Mississippi
River.
Established the
settlement of
Fort St. Louisclaimed Texas
for France for
two years.
Made the
Spanish
paranoid-the
Spanish got
more serious
about settling
Texas, not just
exploring.
Coronado
Moscoso
La Salle
Impact of
Expedition
Murdered by his
own crew after
ship sank.
Remains of ship
are now at the
Bob Bullock
Museum.