Chapter 5 Early Explorers of Texas

Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias sailed along the west coast of Africa and past the southern tip of the continent, causing Europeans to see the possibility of traveling to India and East Asia by sea.

• True

• False

The Spanish named the area in the Rio Grande Valley between two mountain ranges Santa Fe.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

They called it "El Paso del Norte" not Santa Fe.

Francisco Vásquez de Coronado organized expeditions to search for gold and to find the places described by Cabeza de Vaca.

• True

• False

Spanish explorers in Texas spread diseases that killed many Native Americans.

• True

• False

Juan de Oñate founded Fort St. Louis on Matagorda Bay.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

La Salle founded Fort St. Louis.

He led a Spanish expedition to settle the upper Rio Grande Valley.

• Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca

• Alonso Álvarez de Pineda

• Francisco Vásquez de Coronado

• Juan de Oñate

Stories of his travels from Malhado to Culiacán inspired expeditions searching for gold.

• Alonso Álvarez de Pineda

• Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca

• Juan de Oñate

• René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle

He founded Fort St. Louis on Matagorda Bay.

• Alonso Álvarez de Pineda

• Francisco Vásquez de Coronado

• Juan de Oñate

• René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle

He reported to the Spanish king that the region of Texas contained good farming soil, but no gold

• Alonso Álvarez de Pineda

• Francisco Vásquez de Coronado

• Juan de Oñate

• René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle

He mapped the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Mexico in 1519.

• Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca

• Alonso Álvarez de Pineda

• Francisco Vásquez de Coronado

• Juan de Oñate