García López de Cárdenas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
García López de Cárdenas
|
|
|---|---|
García López de Cárdenas exploring the Grand Canyon in 1540. (Painting by Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau, 21st century)
|
|
| Born | c. 1500 |
| Died | unknown unknown
|
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Conquistador |
| Known for | First European to discover the Grand Canyon |
García López de Cárdenas y Figueroa was a brave Spanish explorer. He is famous for being the first European to discover the amazing Grand Canyon in what is now the United States.
Contents
Early Life and Explorations
García López de Cárdenas was born around the year 1500. His hometown was Llerena, a place in the Crown of Castile, which was part of Spain at the time. He came from an important family.
Cárdenas became a conquistador. This was a Spanish explorer and soldier during the Age of Discovery. Conquistadors traveled to the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries. They explored new lands and claimed them for Spain.
Journey with Coronado
Cárdenas joined a very important expedition. This journey was led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado. Coronado was searching for the legendary "Seven Cities of Gold." These cities were rumored to be very rich.
Coronado's group heard stories about a huge river. This river was said to be far north of a place called Cíbola. Cíbola was a Zuni pueblo, or village.
Discovering the Grand Canyon
In September 1540, Coronado sent Cárdenas on a special mission. His task was to find this mysterious big river. He had 80 days to find it and return.
Cárdenas and his men marched north for about 20 days. Then, they finally found it! They stood at the edge of a giant canyon. This was the South Rim of what we now call the Grand Canyon.
Challenges at the Canyon
The explorers were amazed by the canyon's size. But they faced a big problem. The river, which they called the River Tizon (now the Colorado River), was incredibly far down. It was almost impossible to reach.
Cárdenas's men tried for several days to get to the water. They were suffering from dehydration, meaning they were very thirsty. But the cliffs were too steep and dangerous. They could not find a safe path down.
After many failed attempts, Cárdenas and his group had to give up. They returned to Cíbola without reaching the river. Even though they couldn't get to the bottom, they were the first Europeans to see this natural wonder.
Later Life
After the expedition, Cárdenas's career as an explorer ended. His journey to the Grand Canyon remains a key part of his story.
See also
