Why is esteban and fray marcos important for?

Answer 1

Esteban and Fray Marcos are significant figures in the history of the American Southwest, particularly in the context of early Spanish exploration. Esteban, an African slave and one of the first known African explorers in the region, played a crucial role in the search for the Seven Cities of Gold, serving as a guide for Fray Marcos. Fray Marcos de Niza was a Franciscan friar whose accounts of the lands and indigenous peoples he encountered helped shape European perceptions and interests in the New World. Their journey in the 1530s marked a pivotal moment in the Spanish colonization of North America, influencing subsequent exploration and missionary efforts.