C05 By ramicon Period: Mar 5, 1480 to Mar 5, 1690 Early Explorers of Texas Mar 5, 1492 Columbus crosses the Atlantic, lands on Hispaniola Mar 5, 1517 Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses; starts the Protestant Reformation Mar 5, 1519 Álvarez de Pineda maps the Texas coast Mar 6, 1528 Cabeza de Vaca wanders and lives with Native Americans in Texas Mar 5, 1598 Oñate founds a settlement on the upper Rio Grande Mar 5, 1643 Taj Mahal completed Mar 5, 1649 English civil war ends with the execution of King Charles I Mar 5, 1664 Dutch surrender New Amsterdam to England, who rename it New York Mar 5, 1682 La Salle explores the Mississippi River Mar 5, 1685 La Salle founds Fort St. Louis—first French settlement in Texas