The Spanish were the first Europeans to explore Florida. They were the first Europeans to walk across Texas. They were the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Ocean, and the Pacific Coast. And everything they saw, they claimed for Spain. In fact, Spain once claimed about two-thirds of the land that makes up the continental United States.
Spain’s explorations of the then-uncharted United States mostly were launched by land from Mexico, which the Spanish conquered in 1521. Spanish expeditions headed northward into the present-day American Southwest. They reached as far north as Northern California. They traveled as far east as Kansas. They also sailed along the Pacific Coast to Alaska.
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Celebrating Our Southwest Heritage
A talk with Khristaan Villela
Neighbors North And South
Refugees from the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s head for Marfa, Texas.
A New Conflict Threatened The US And Mexico's Relationship
More than 60 years after the United States and Mexico fought their last battle over land, a new conflict threatened the two countries’ relationship.
The Final Piece
The dark green color in the map depicts the land that was the Gadsden Purchase.
Alta California Becomes A State
This 1750 map captures the Spanish belief—based on the Baja Peninsula—that California was an island.
From Tejas To Texas
The republic of Mexico—newly independent from Spain—faced some big problems in the early 1820s.
The Rise of New Spain
Within a couple of years of arriving in Mexico, Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire.
Rethinking A Holiday
Columbus Day has been an official U.S. holiday since 1937. But some people question the idea of celebrating Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the “New World.”
The Promise Of Gold And A Sea Route To India
The promise of gold and a sea route to India.
Getting Started
Did you know that the Spanish arrived in North America more than 100 years before the English settled their first colonies in Virginia and Massachusetts?
After a Grim Limbo, Hope
A migrant camp empties as Biden undoes Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy
LESSONS FROM LUIS THE MONEY LAUNDERER
What drives one to cross continents the hard way? Is this what Overlanding is about? That persistent feeling that we'll never be caught if nothing can catch us? The optimist in me sure hoped that was the case. And after riding a battered old KLR650 35,000km from Canada to the southern tip of South America I'm still unsure what the purpose or motivation was. Worthwhile? Absolutely. Why? No idea.
What to Expect If You're Flying in 2021
Policies enacted by the airlines in 2020 may change air travel for the long haul.
BEACH BOD: SECURED!
La Bella Vita
Ana Leovy – Confetti in Cancún
Ana Leovy’s glass is half full, effervescent with bubbles, ready to toast the day and share the good news. Maybe on a solo stroll, maybe with friends and neighbors, the message is clear in her ripe gouache and acrylic pictures. Follow the light like a sunflower, lounge proud with purpose. A tropical storm delayed our conversation, but didn’t dampen her spirits.
Short hikes on the long PCT
Other than some extreme sports, one of the most agreed-upon measures of athletic physical endurance is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
Night Sky
Spend evenings under the stars in San Miguel de Allende.
FARTHER, FASTER
Installing ICON’s Stage 4 suspension system on a ’13 Ford SVT Raptor
Secluded Stays
From mountain refuges to nature reserves, island hideaways to tropical rainforests, these sublime secluded places offer the perfect escape from the modern world.
INFLUENCERS BEHAVING ADLY: MEXICO KICKS THEM OUT OF RUINS
Archaeological authorities in Mexico said they kicked cast members of a popular local “Jersey Shore”-style reality shows out of the Mayan ruins of Uxmal after they behaved “immaturely” and refused to wear masks or follow social distancing rules.