How many of de Vaca's men escaped slavery and where did they go?
a. Only 4 escaped, and they went back to Cuba.
b. Only 4 escaped, and they went west to find New Spain.
C. All 80 escaped, and went west to find New Spain.
d. None of them escaped, they all died in Florida.
a. Only 4 escaped, and they went back to Cuba.
b. Only 4 escaped, and they went west to find New Spain.
To determine how many of de Vaca's men escaped slavery and where they went, we need to look at historical records and accounts of their journey. One of the primary sources of information is Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca's own written account called "Naufragios" (Shipwrecks). In this narrative, de Vaca describes the hardships and challenges faced by his expedition.
According to de Vaca's account, in 1528, a Spanish expedition led by Pánfilo de Narváez set sail from Spain with about 600 men, including de Vaca. However, their voyage encountered several mishaps, including shipwrecks, disease, and conflicts with Native American tribes. Eventually, they found themselves stranded in what is now Florida.
As for the question of escape, de Vaca and a few others managed to survive the difficult circumstances and escape slavery. According to his account, de Vaca, along with three other survivors named Alonso del Castillo, Andrés Dorantes, and Estevanico (a Moroccan slave), embarked on a journey to explore and find their way back to Spanish settlements in Mexico.
Based on this information, the correct answer is option (b): Only 4 men escaped, and they went west to find New Spain.