Cabeza de Vaca's route of conquest was not a traditional one. He initially set out as part of an expedition led by Panfilo de Narváez to explore and conquer the newly discovered lands in North America. However, their journey was met with challenges right from the start.
After encountering a storm in Cuba, their ship was wrecked and the crew was scattered. Cabeza de Vaca, along with a small group of survivors, made their way to what is now Tampa Bay, Florida in 1528. Their plan was to regroup and find a way back to Spain.
However, they were met with hostility by the Native American tribes they encountered, who took most of the Spanish sailors hostage. Cabeza de Vaca and a few others escaped and decided to make rafts to sail to Spain. But their journey was again thwarted by bad weather and lack of supplies, forcing them to land in what is now Galveston, Texas.
Cabeza de Vaca then found himself living among the Native American tribes in the area, where he took on the roles of trader and healer to survive. He faced many challenges, including hunger, mistreatment, and living in harsh conditions. But his will to live and adapt helped him persevere.
In 1532, Cabeza de Vaca and his remaining companions decided to leave and make their way back to Spain. They traveled southwest, likely through present-day Arizona and New Mexico, towards Mexico where the Spanish Empire had established settlements.
Upon reaching Mexico, Cabeza de Vaca was dismayed to witness the harsh treatment of the native people by the Spanish and the presence of slave trading. He wrote about these experiences in his journal and tried to change the way the indigenous people were treated.
Overall, Cabeza de Vaca's route of conquest was marked by survival and adaptation rather than conventional conquest. His journey took him through present-day Florida, Texas, and Mexico, and his experiences among the Native American tribes greatly shaped his perspective on colonization and the treatment of indigenous peoples.