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what were the main goals of hernando de sotos expedition

by Liza Satterfield Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Seeking greater glory and riches, de Soto embarked on a major expedition in 1538 to conquer Florida for the Spanish crown

Spanish Empire

The Spanish Empire, historically known as the Hispanic Monarchy and as the Catholic Monarchy, was one of the largest empires in history. From the late 15th century to the early 19th, Spain controlled a huge overseas territory in the New World and the Asian archipelago of the Philippines, what they c…

. He and his men traveled nearly 4,000 miles throughout the region that would become the southeastern United States in search of riches, fighting off Native American attacks along the way.

Hernando de Soto's Expedition through the Southeast
His goal was to conquer and settle the territory of the Gulf States as well as find gold to enrich himself and his king.

Full Answer

Why was Hernando de Soto’s expedition important?

But Hernando De Soto’s expedition marked the first effort of the Spanish government to conquer the land.

How many ships did De Soto take to North America?

De Soto’s Expedition to North America. De Soto set out from Spain in April 1538, set with 10 ships and 700 men.

Where did Hernando de Soto go with Francisco Pizarro?

In 1531, he joined Francisco Pizarro on an expedition in pursuit of rumors of gold located in the region that is now northwestern Colombia, on the Pacific coast. In 1532, De Soto acted as Pizarro’s chief lieutenant in the former’s conquest of Peru.

How did De Soto make his money?

De Soto earned a fortune from Dávila’s conquest of Panama and Nicaragua, and by 1530 he was the leading slave trader and one of the richest men in Nicaragua. In 1531, he joined Francisco Pizarro on an expedition in pursuit of rumors of gold located in the region that is now northwestern Colombia, on the Pacific coast.

Did Hernando de Soto accomplish his goal?

The Hernando de Soto expedition ultimately covered over 4,000 miles of territory located within the boundaries of ten present-day US states. Although they never achieved their goal of finding gold or establishing a permanent spanish settlement, they were the first Europeans to cross the Mississippi River.

What did Hernando de Soto find on his exploration?

Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquests of Central America and Peru and discovered the Mississippi River.

What was the importance of Hernando de Soto's expedition quizlet?

What is his significance in history? The invasion of what is now the southeastern United States by Hernando de Soto in 1539 produced the first major encounter between Indian peoples and Europeans east of the Mississippi.

What are 4 facts about de Soto?

Hernando de Soto | 10 Facts On The Spanish Explorer#1 His parents wanted him to be a lawyer.#4 He played a major role in defeating the Incas in the Battle of Cajamarca.#5 He made an enormous fortune during the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.#6 Hernando de Soto was made governor of Cuba in 1537.More items...•

How did Hernando de Soto discover the Mississippi River?

De Soto could have marched south to reconvene with his ships along the Gulf Coast, but instead he ordered his expedition northwest in search of America's elusive riches. In May 1541, the army reached and crossed the Mississippi River, probably the first Europeans ever to do so.

Who discovered the Mississippi River?

explorer Hernando De SotoIt shows Spanish conquistador and explorer Hernando De Soto (1500–1542), riding a white horse and dressed in Renaissance finery, arriving at the Mississippi River at a point below Natchez on May 8, 1541. De Soto was the first European documented to have seen the river.

Who discovered the Mississippi River quizlet?

Hernando de Soto lead his 600 men to eventually discover the Mississippi River. Originally his intentions were to come to the Americas, and find gold/silver. Eventually in June 1534 (after his passing) his surviving 311 men discovered the Mississippi River.

Where all did Hernando de Soto explore?

1496/97, Jerez de los Caballeros, Badajoz, Spain—died May 21, 1542, along the Mississippi River [in present-day Louisiana, U.S.]), Spanish explorerexplorerChristopher Columbus. Famous Italian explorer and possibly the best-known explorer that ever lived. Known for "discovering" America (1492). Alonso de Ojeda is noted as the discoverer of South America, as commander of the fleet with Juan de la Cosa and Amerigo Vespucci (1493–1510).https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_explorersList of explorers - Wikipedia and conquistador who participated in the conquests of Central America and Peru and, in the course of exploring what was to become the southeastern United States, discovered ...

What lands did de Soto claim for Spain?

He covered territory from the Gulf of Mexico coast north to the Appalachian Mountains, from the Florida shores of the Atlantic to slightly west of the Mississippi River.

How old was Hernando de Soto when he died?

42 years (1500–1542)Hernando de Soto / Age at death"HERNANDO DE SOTO: Extremaduran, one of the discoverers and conquerors of Peru: he travelled across all of Florida and defeated its previously invincible natives, he died on his expedition in the year 1542 at the age of 42".

What was Hernando de Soto's role in the Conquest of Peru?

De Soto’s Role in Conquest of Peru & Return to Spain. De Soto’s Expedition to North America . The 16th-century Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto (c. 1496-1542) arrived in the West Indies as a young man and went on to make a fortune in the Central American slave trade. He supplied ships for Francisco Pizarro’s southward expedition ...

What was the role of De Soto in the Spanish conquest of Peru?

De Soto’s Role in Conquest of Peru & Return to Spain. In 1532, De Soto acted as Pizarro’s chief lieutenant in the former’s conquest of Peru. Before Spanish forces defeated the Incas at Cajamarca that November, de Soto became the first European to make contact with the Inca emperor Atahualpa.

Where was Hernando de Soto born?

He was born in 1496 in Jerez de los Caballeros, Bajadoz province. De Soto’s family was of minor nobility and modest means, and at a very young age he developed dreams ...

What river did the Spaniards see in 1541?

In mid-1541, the Spaniards sighted the Mississippi River.

When did De Soto die?

Soon after, De Soto took ill with a fever. After his death on May 21, 1542 his comrades buried his body in the great river.

Where did De Soto get his fortune?

De Soto earned a fortune from Dávila’s conquest of Panama and Nicaragua, and by 1530 he was the leading slave trader and one of the richest men in Nicaragua. In 1531, he joined Francisco Pizarro on an expedition in pursuit of rumors of gold located in the region that is now northwestern Colombia, on the Pacific coast.

Where did De Soto camp in the winter?

They moved inland and eventually set up camp for the winter at a small Indian village near present-day Tallahassee. In the spring, De Soto led his men north, through Georgia, and west, through the Carolinas and Tennessee, guided by Indians whom they took captive along the way.

Article

The Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto (c. 1500-1542) landed on the west coast of Florida on 30 May 1539, hoping to find wealthy kingdoms to conquer and plunder. His crew journeyed for over four years in southeastern North America, savaging the local peoples, but ultimately returned home empty-handed.

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Where did De Soto go on his expedition?

De Soto's expedition spent a month within the Coosa Chiefdom before entering what is now Alabama. Battling their way through Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas in 1541-1542, de Soto met his death at the age of 42 from a fever along the Mississippi in either Arkansas or Louisiana. The remainder of his expedition, having lost most of their horses and nearly half their men (many of whom were sick or injured) without having found the riches they sought, nor a place to settle, decided to end their journey and return to Spanish-held lands. Trekking first into what is today Texas but finding no means of supporting the army, they backtracked to the Mississippi River, and followed it to the Gulf of Mexico, dodging attacks as they went.

Where did the De Soto expedition take place?

The route de Soto's expedition took through Alabama is still a matter of dispute, with some scholars believing the conquistadors followed the Coosa River down past the Canyon Mouth Park area of Little River Canyon National Preserve, and others believing they passed north of Lookout Mountain along the Tennessee River and into Alabama (the current theory most accepted by archaeologists and historians). Nearby De Soto State Park, part of the Alabama State Park system, in named from a disputed legend that members of the de Soto expedition passed through the area.

What was the Spanish discovery of the New World?

Spanish and Portuguese "discovery" and exploration of the New World in late 1400's and early 1500's brought new and unforeseen opportunities to expand power and influence and to increase wealth and resources. Endless forests and woodlands of valuable trees and vast amounts of silver and gold were to be found in South America, and thoughts of equally rich lands north of "la Florida" led the conquistadors into what is now the southeastern United States and contact with the native peoples of the area.

Where did Hernando De Soto's expedition pass through?

Although scholars disagree regarding the exact path of Hernando De Soto’s expedition in the Southeast, all agree that the Spaniard and his expedition passed through present-day Piedmont and western North Carolina.

Why did De Soto take hostages?

Expedition reports state that De Soto set dogs on Indians and took hostages to learn information regarding minerals and other riches. (De Soto’s tactics affected Juan Pardo’s more benign diplomacy as he explored North Carolina.) Despite De Soto’s tactics, his exploration through North Carolina was less than bountiful.

Why did the Cherokees give De Soto 300 dogs?

An unknown tribe gave De Soto 300 hundred dogs, because they noticed the Spaniards ate them. Spanish treated the Indians less kindly, writes historian James H. Merrill.

Where did De Soto and his men go?

While in North Carolina, De Soto and his men traveled to Chalague (southwest of Charlotte), Guaquili (near Hickory), and Joara (near Morganton), which he called Xuala. After their stay in the latter place, the Spaniards traveled to the mountains and found the French Broad River and the Toe River and the Nolichucky River, ...

Who was the first Spanish to conquer North Carolina?

But Hernando De Soto ’s expedition marked the first effort of the Spanish government to conquer the land.

Who was the photographer who traveled through North Carolina before finding the Mississippi River?

This image later appeared in the Library of Congress's 1945 publication, "Florida Centennial.". De Soto traveled through North Carolina, before finding the Mississippi River. William H. Powell portrays the latter in Discovery of the Mississippi (1847). Image courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Did De Soto find gold?

Despite De Soto’s tactics, his exploration through North Carolina was less than bountiful. No gold, silver, or great waterway was found. Reports, however, indicate that the Spaniards discovered a few, perfect pearls.

Hernando de Soto

Explorations in Florida

  • There had been two previous explorations of Florida. In 1513, Juan Ponce de León(1460-1521) had led the first one, landing along Florida's east coast, he charted the Atlantic coast down to the Florida Keys and north along the Gulf coast. He left Florida in 1514, briefly returned to Puerto Rico, and then headed back to Spain. The second expedition was led by Pánfilo de Narvaez (c. 1470-1…
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de Soto's Journey

  • On April 7, 1538, de Soto and 650 men set sail from Seville, Spain, to La Habana Cuba, and they departed from there in May 1539 for Florida. The expedition included knights, foot soldiers, artisans, priests, boatwrights, and scribes, as well as 200 horses and a large herd of pigs. De Soto landed on the west coast of Florida at the Amerindian chiefdom of Ocita, probably in the Tampa …
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The Expedition Returns

  • After de Soto's death, the remaining members of the expedition debated on how to get to New Spain (Mexico) and end the mission. They could escape by either land or river. They first chose the land route but soon abandoned this approach as they had difficulty finding enough corn to sustain themselves along the trail. They went back to the Mississipp...
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Significance of de Soto Expedition

  • At the time, the de Soto expedition was considered a failure, since they did not find a state-level society with stores of precious metals and gems like those possessed by the Inca Empire and the Aztec civilization. The Spanish interest in the region waned, and it was left to France and Englandin the mid-17th century to pursue imperial designs in the region. Regardless, the de Sot…
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