Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led a large expedition from Mexico between 1540-1542, becoming the first European to explore parts of modern-day Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Kansas. Coronado hoped to find wealthy civilizations and precious metals, but instead encountered native peoples like the Zuni and Hopi who were poor. His men became the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon. Coronado continued east in search of the mythical wealthy land of Quivira, but found only Native American villages and returned to Mexico disappointed after two years of exploring without finding the riches he sought.

1. A Primary Source Journey through Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona,
Texas, and Kansas

2. Born as the second son to a
noble family in Salamanca, Spain
in 1510
Went to New Spain in 1535 as the
assistant to the Viceroy, Antonio
de Mendoza
In New Spain, married Beatriz de
Estrada, daughter of a politically
well-connected Spanish family.
Appointed Governor of New
Galica in 1538

3. Coronado sent Friar Marcos de
Niza and Estevanico (aka Estevan,
the slave who survived with Cabaza
de Vaca), on an expedition north
toward New Mexico.
On his return, Marcos de Niza
described a golden city called
"Cíbola," and reported that Estevan
had been killed by the Zuni citizens
of Cíbola.
He did not enter Cíbola, but
claimed that the city stood on a
high hill and appeared wealthy and
as large as Mexico City.

4. Coronado and Mendoza financed a second
exploratory expedition, with Coronado as the leader.
They invested must of their own finances
Coronado mortgaged his own estate, raising nearly
70,000 pesos for the expedition
Two groups were prepared for the exploration:
1. A ship which would travel up the Guadalupe River
with their supplies under Hernando Alarcon.
2. A land expedition headed by Coronado

5. http://www.thearmchairexplorer.com/arizona/a-arizona/national-parks/coronado/expedition-map01.jpg

6. Coronado set out from Compostela,
New Spain (Mexico) on February 23,
1540
 He had 400 European men-at-arms
(mostly Spaniards), 1,300 to 2,000
Mexican Indian allies, four Franciscan
monks, and several slaves
As he traveled, he realized the land
would not support a large force, so he
divided his men into smaller groups
and spaced out their travel to allow the
land to regenerate grass and resources
for each group.

7. From Cornill Wytfliet’s map
Hispania Nova 1597

8. PRIMARY SOURCES:
Letters to and from
King Charles V of Spain
discuss the route and
findings of Coronado’s
expedition
First hand accounts of
men who traveled with
Coronado, such as the
most famous by Pedro
Castañeda

9. From Justin Winsor’s
Narrative and Critical
History of America,
Vol. 2
Conquistador General

10. Spanish
Conquistador
courtesy of
Dr. Richard B. McCaslin

11. Coronado traveled to today's
Arizona-New Mexico state line,
and followed the Little Colorado
River to the Zuni River.
Followed the Zuni until he found
the region inhabited by the Zuni
people.
Expedition members were almost
starving and demanded entrance
into the village of Hawikuh.

12. The natives refused, denying
the expedition entrance to
the village.
Coronado and his
expeditionaries attacked the
Zunis, killing many.
Coronado was injured
during the battle, and the
expedition remained there
several weeks.

13. The first scouting expedition was led by
Pedro de Tovar. This expedition headed
northwest to the Hopi villages, which
they recorded as Tusayan.
Upon arrival, the Spanish were denied
entrance to the village they came across,
and once again resorted to using force to
enter.
The Hopi were just as poor as the Zuni in
the precious metals Coronado sought,
but the Spanish did learn that a large
river (the Colorado) lay in the west.

14. Coronado sent another
scouting expedition led by
Garcia Lopez de Cárdenas to
find the Colorado River.
Members of this expedition
reached the Grand Canyon
and the Colorado River,
becoming the first Europeans
to see the magnificent
canyon.

15. View of the
Great Plains

16. From an Indian the Spanish called
"the Turk," Coronado heard of a
wealthy civilization called Quivira
far to the east.
In spring 1541 he led his army and
priests and Indian allies onto the
Great Plains to search for Quivira.
The Turk was probably either a
Wichita or a Pawnee
His intention seems to have been
to lead Coronado astray and hope
that he got lost in the wilderness.

17. From Pedro Castañeda’s
The Journey of
Coronado,
1540-1542
translated by
George Parker Winship

18. From Pedro Castañeda’s
The Journey of
Coronado,
1540-1542
translated by
George Parker Winship

19. From Carlysle Graham
Raht’s
The Romance of
Davis Mountains
and Big Bend
Country
drawings by Waldo Williams

20. From Pedro Castañeda’s
The Journey of
Coronado,
1540-1542
translated by
George Parker Winship

21. From Pedro Castañeda’s
The Journey of
Coronado,
1540-1542
translated by
George Parker Winship