Lesson 4: Analyzing Key Ideas in a Text

“Niza told fantastic stories about Cibola, a place also called the Seven Cities of Gold.”

“When they arrived, however, Coronado was greatly disappointed to find a settlement of small pueblos instead of a golden city.”

“He claimed that he saw cities full of gold.”

“Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and his soldiers set out for Cibola with Niza as their guide.”

“When the story of the golden city reached Pizarro, he was determined to find this place for himself and claim the gold.”

“Stories claimed that the chief’s followers adorned themselves with gold and jewels that were plentiful in this rich land.”

“The lure of gold led to much disappointment, wasted years,

and even death.”

“In a ritual to ensure a good harvest, the chief would float out to the middle of a lake on a raft and leap in.”

“They told about a place in the Andes Mountains where people worshipped a chieftain covered in gold. . . .”

“When a new chief came into power, he was covered in oil or clay and sprinkled with gold dust.”

“In 1541, he led an expedition to find El Dorado.”

“The chieftain was known as El Dorado—one who is gilded, or covered in gold.”