Final answer:
Coronado's expedition could be deemed a failure regarding the specific goal of finding gold, but it provided significant geographical and cultural insights, embodying the Spanish drive for exploration and empire expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether Francisco Vásquez de Coronado's expedition was a failure because he did not find the cities of gold in Texas can be seen from different perspectives. If one defines success purely in terms of the original goal, which was to find gold and riches, then yes, the expedition could be considered a failure; however, Coronado's travels provided valuable information about the geography and indigenous cultures of the region.
His exploration was part of wider Spanish efforts to expand their empire and gain knowledge, analogous to other expeditions of the era that also failed to discover the legendary wealth they sought but ultimately increased the Spaniards' geographic understanding and later led to the colonization of vast regions of the Americas. Thus, if we consider the broader implications and discoveries made during the expedition, it was not entirely unsuccessful despite the lack of gold.