Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish explorer born in 1510 in Spain. He is best known for leading an expedition in the 1540s to explore the southwestern region of what is now the United States. His journey took him through areas that are now part of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas in search of the legendary Seven Cities of Gold. Coronado's expedition was significant for its extensive exploration of the American Southwest. Although he did not find the riches he sought, he and his men were the first Europeans to document the Grand Canyon and the Great Plains. His travels contributed to European knowledge of the region and its indigenous peoples.