Hernando de Soto is known as a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was discovered new parts of the American continent and was part of the conquest of the Inca Empire. He is best known as taking the expedition to the depths of the North American continent and he is recorded as a first European that crossed Mississipi River, where he later died.
When did he do this?
De Soto did this in the 16th century. His first recorded expedition of Veragua and Nicaragua started at 1520. and conquest of Peru in which he participated in started in 1532. He landed at shores of Northern America in 1539. and explored the continent until his death in 1542.
Where did this occur?
This all happened at the parts of the Southern and North American continent.In South America, he went from Veraga, Nicaragua, Yucatan Peninsula, to the conquest of Peru. In North America, he first landed at the bay of today's Florida, probably Tampa Bay. He went towards Southeast, to modern Georgia, South and North Carolina, Tennessee and inland Mississippi. The final destination was the banks of Mississippi River which he crossed as the first recorder European.
Why is this significant? Why are we studying it?
De Soto's explorations are significant because they are among the first who explored the depths of the Northern American continent. Some of the lands – like the bank of Mississippi river – were explored for the first time. They encountered the Natives of the continent with horses, war dogs, and pigs for the first time, that the people learned about and took advantage of. Sadly, his significant impact on Native population was also the disease that he and his people brought. As Native people weren't immune to new diseases, large number of them died.
We learn about his impact today as he was part of one of the biggest conquests in Peru and because he explored the parts of the land that weren't explored before. He was among the firsts to go to some parts (such as Mississippi river) and we have more knowledge about life in North America because of him.
