Caption
Coronado and his Captains (1940)
Number
0898
Prompt
The horses subtly shift their weight and flick their tails. Coronado and his captains turn their heads to survey the landscape. The clouds in the sky drift slowly, and the flag flutters in the breeze.
Body
Issued in 1940, this three-cent stamp commemorates the 400th anniversary of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's expedition. The design is based on the painting "Coronado and His Captains" by Gerald Cassidy. In 1540, Coronado led a large expedition from Mexico into the present-day American Southwest, driven by tales of the wealthy Seven Cities of Cíbola. While he never found the fabled riches, his exploration led to the first European sightings of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. The expedition traversed parts of modern-day Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, contributing significantly to the European understanding of North American geography.