The New Student's Reference Work/Coronado, Francisco de

Coronado (dā̇ kō′rō̇ nä′thō̇), Francisco de, a Spaniard, born in Salamanca probably about A. D. 1510, was the leader of a pioneer force of troops which, starting from Mexico, did much to explore the unknown region which now is the southwest portion of the United States. The expedition appears to have advanced as far as what now is Kansas. Coronado saw the possibilities of the land which he visited for agriculture; but he was disappointed in his search for precious metals. His papers give the first reliable account of the American bison or buffalo. The latter part of the life of Coronado was spent in retirement, and the date of his death is uncertain. For the papers of this expedition see The Coronado Expedition (Winship) in Reports of the U. S. Bureau of Ethnology, No. 14.