Francisco Vázquez de Coronado
By:Chloe and Brooke
Coronado's Early life
Coronado was born around 1510 in Salamanca,Spain. He was supposedly the younger child of a wealthy aristocrat. He married Dona Beatriz, she was the daughter of Alonso de Estrada.
His exploration of Southwest America
Coronado set out with about 300 Spanish soldiers and about 1,000 Indians. In July the expedition came across a group of Zunis Indians in what is now New Mexico. Coronado and his men soon attacked the Zunis, and took over their village. Coronado was disappointed about the expeditions failure to find the golden city, he sent his men in a different direction to investigate further.
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado
a map where he explored
Coronado National State Park
Coronado's Final Years
When his was back in New Spain in 1542, disheartened Coronado returned to his duties as Governor of Nueva Galicia. He got removed from his job 2 years later, during an investigation on his expedition. According to some accounts he spent the remainder of his life in Mexico City. There he served as a member of city council. Coronado died on September 22, 1554. In his mission failure to find the city of gold he became one of the first European explores to visit the American west.