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Columbus departed Spain to find an all water route to Asia. The current path over land was long and had many dangers. He thought if he sailed west across the ocean, it would create a short cut. It is important in history because he actually discovered America while looking for this short cut.
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He led an expedition that discovered the boundaries of the Gulf of Mexico. He found that Florida is a peninsula and not an island. He was also the first European to see the coastal areas of Western Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. This area he called Amichel. He found Corpus Christi and led to further Spanish exploration of Texas.
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Cortes wanted to conquer land in the New World for Spain. Cortes overthrew ruler Montezuma and conquered the Aztecs in Tenochitilán in 1519. He sent expeditions into what is now Honduras. He also built Mexico City.
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Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was second in command of an expedition led by Panfilo de Narváez, who wanted to claim the territory from Florida to Mexico for Spain. They lost many due to illness, starvation, shipwrecks and Indian attacks, including his leader. He stumbled upon Galveston Island by accident and called it the Island of Misfortune.
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He stumbled upon Texas by accident after he left his expedition of Florida. He was here for four years. While here, he met the Karankawa Indians, who enslaved him for almost two years, He won their respect and was freed from them.
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Friar Marcos was the first explorer to report the Seven Cities of Cibola. He was sent North from Mexico City to discover wealthy new cities near New Spain. . Esteban was an enslaved North African. By prior agreement, Esteban traveled several days ahead of Fray Marcos, leaving behind him a trail of crosses of different sizes depending on his findings. Esteban was killed by the Zuni's in Hawikuh for entering the village after they warned him not to.
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They explored from Florida to East Texas , he agreed to not go to Texas (didn't go back to Texas for 150 years) , they were very cruel to the Indians.
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He searched for Cibola and Quivira. His guide was Antonio de Mendoza. He went in search for the 7 city's of gold, he explored 5 states looking for it , he was unsuccessful.He reported do not go to Texas.
