Final answer:
The outcome of the Cabeza de Vaca expedition was a failure in finding wealth, but it provided knowledge about the geography and inhabitants of the areas explored. Cabeza de Vaca can be considered a successful explorer in terms of cultural interactions, but the negative impact on Native American populations diminishes his overall success.
Step-by-step explanation:
The outcome of the Cabeza de Vaca expedition was a failure in terms of finding wealth and resources. Cabeza de Vaca and his men explored parts of North America, including Florida and the southeastern United States, but they did not find the much-anticipated mountains of gold and silver. Instead, the expedition had devastating consequences for both the Native Americans and the Spaniards, as they brought European diseases that caused the death of thousands of Native Americans.
In terms of success as an explorer, Cabeza de Vaca's expedition can be considered successful in terms of the knowledge gained about the geography and inhabitants of the areas explored. Cabeza de Vaca praised the hospitality of the Native Americans he encountered in Florida, showing a positive interaction between cultures. However, the lack of finding wealth and the harmful impact on Native American populations diminishes the overall success of the expedition.