Francisco Vazquez de Coronado

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado began his expedition from February 1540 to August 1542 to find fame, fortune, to explore the stories of the cities of gold that had been circulating, and to convert Indians to Catholicism. One such claim that Friar Marcos just came back from a journey that he had just taken, and he was telling the people of what he saw. When Antonio de Mendoza, the viceroy, found out about the city of gold he sent Coronado to find the city and establish trade. Vazquez de Coronado was selected by the viceroy to explore these claims of the city of gold. It was also noted that Spain wanted to dominate that economy, so they set out to conquer the territories to become a more dominate leader. As Coronado was searching for the city of gold he visited many different areas. There are two ways that Coronado could have visited these places. One way is that the Indian tribe that the Spanish were “staying” at, would tell them about a land of riches further up north. This was told to get rid of the Spanish people. Which caused the Spanish people to keep on traveling to the north, discovering different areas of New Mexico, Colorado, and maybe even Texas. While at one of the Pueblos Coronado sent some of his men to explore the Colorado River, which led them to the Grand Canyon. They were searching for an all water route to California. When that group came back emptied handed kept on moving. When he encountered the Zuni tribe with a Plains Indian captive, the Plains Indian captive told the Spaniards that he knew of a land of riches to the east, where his tribe lived. So with new hopes the Spanish followed him, only to find nothing. With their hopes dispared the Spanish turned back towards Mexico City. With this expedition they traveled to parts of what is now today New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Coronado may not have found the cities of gold, but the route that he traveled is now better known as the Santa Fe Trail. At the start of the