In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition into the southwestern United States.
The men were looking for the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola. The cities were said to be full of gold and precious stones.
Along the way, the party split up. A group led by García López de Cárdenas and guided by Hopi scouts made it to the Grand Canyon, becoming the first Europeans to see that awesome sight. However, they could not cross the wide chasms and went back to Mexico with nothing. They called the expedition a failure.
In 1857, U.S. Lieutenant Joseph Ives led an expedition to map out the southwest territory, which had yet to be explored. After his journey, he reported that the region was “altogether valueless.”
More than 400 years after Cárdenas, the Grand Canyon attracts about 5 million people a year! Let’s visit this amazing natural wonder.
