Did Native Americans play a big joke on Coronado? Francisco Vasquez de Coronado had heard a story about the seven cities of Cibola. These were large cities where many things were made of gold. A scout named Friar Marcos de Niza said he had seen the cities.

In 1540, two groups were sent to find the gold. Both groups started in Mexico. A man named Alarcon led one group. They sailed up the Gulf of California. They went part way up the Colorado River.

Francisco Coronado led the other group. They went north by land. Friar Marcos was the guide. It was a hard trip. Coronado's group found Cibola. It was just a Zuni pueblo! It was not a city of gold. Coronado sent Marcos home. The natives told Coronado there were rich cities to the northwest. Coronado sent men there. They just found Hopi villages.

Then Coronado heard about the Colorado River. He sent men to find it. They found the Grand Canyon!

Coronado heard there were rich cities to the east. He took his group that way. They found the Rio Grande River. He destroyed many pueblos there. He met a native called the Turk. The Turk told him of a rich place called Quivira in the north. Turk led Coronado through New Mexico and Texas. They crossed Oklahoma and Kansas. They found Quivira. It was not rich. Coronado killed the Turk.

Coronado went home in 1542. He never found any cities of gold.