How did the De Soto expedition contribute to the world?
The records of the expedition contributed greatly to European knowledge about the geography, biology, and ethnology of the New World. The de Soto expedition's descriptions of North American natives are the earliest-known source of information about the societies in the Southeast.
Who was the first person to explore eastern Colorado?
However, the most significant expedition, in terms of being the first to document eastern Colorado, was the one led by Juan de Ulibarri in 1706 – 100 years before the much-heralded Zebulon Pike expedition. Table 1: Spanish Expeditions into Southeastern Colorado (1590–1790)
Who made up the expedition to the Galapagos?
The people who made up the expedition fell into three main groups: Europeans (especially from Castilla and Portugal); north and west Africans, who were almost all slaves or servants; and Native American allies, who comprised the largest component of the expedition.
Who wrote the Hernández de Biedma expedition?
Three detailed narratives of the expedition were written by survivors Rodrigo Ranjel, Luys Hernández de Biedma, and an unnamed Portuguese soldier. The fourth was written forty to fifty years later by Garcilaso de la Vega from interviews with survivors and appears to have many fictional additions.
What did De Soto do to gain control of the New World?
What did De Soto do to the Mississippi River?
What were the consequences of the De Soto Expedition?
What was the Spanish claim to the New World?
What did De Soto do to find gold?
What records did De Soto keep?
Where did De Soto land?
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What river was the trunk road?
As a result of their study regarding the "great trunk road", Riley and Manson clarify that the valleys of the Santa Cruz River, the San Pedro River and the San Bernardino River were part of this major Mesoamerican trade route which was also utilized by explorers associated with the expedition of Vázquez de Coronado. By defining the corridors of the "great trunk road", Riley and Manson narrow down two possibilities: the first running from San Pedro River valley, north to the Gila River, across the Salt River and the Little Colorado to the Zuni River and beyond to Zuni, and the second, following a line proposed by DiPeso from the San Bernardino River valley to the southeastern corner of Arizona, thence into New Mexico where the route meanders in and out of Arizona and New Mexico until it reaches the Zuni River and then to Zuni (Riley and Manson, 1983:352).
Why did the Niza expedition enter Arizona?
Other scholars contended that the expedition entered Arizona through the San Pedro River valley because it was most compatible with Spanish documentation and topography, being the easiest route northward.
Why was Chichilticale named Chichilticale?
212, 251‑252) wrote that the priests (de Niza and his party) named Chichilticale because of an abandoned mud fortress which had been built by people who broke away from Cibola and which was later destroyed by folk who hunted and lived in rancherias without permanent settlements. He went on to say that the gulf extended as far as this area and turned W at the head of the Gulf of California, which it does on the latitude several minutes above 31 degrees N. This latitude falls across the San Bernardino Valley.
What river did Day cross?
Somewhere near there, he explained, was the point of departure for crossing the despoblado. Day went on to propose that the expedition crossed the Gila and Salt Rivers by means of an old Indian trail, and then proceeded through the White Mountains to the upper drainage of the Little Colorado near St. Johns to the Zuni River. Although Day did not specifically tell how the expedition crossed the area, he deferred to the work by Sauer and Winship for his information.
Where did Niza go on his journey?
In 1947 George J. Undreiner re‑examined Fray Marcos de Niza's journey to Cibola and proposed that Niza had entered Arizona on April 13, 1539 by following a route north along the Pima road about 15 miles east of Lochiel soon after which he reached Quiburi, a Sobaipuri village on the San Pedro River. Three days later, Niza visited Baicatcan, another village on the San Pedro, which DiPeso had dated pre‑1698. Herein was the riddle. Pedro de Castañeda, chronicler of the Vázquez de Coronado expedition, stated that after visiting a certain Indian town, the expedition encountered a four‑day despoblado (desert) north of there. Undreiner pointed out that in his preliminary expedition of 1539, Niza, probably at Baicatcan, or at least at Quiburi, learned that two more days of travel would bring him to a despoblado which would take four days to cross. He contended that Niza, after two days of travel, had reached the northernmost Sobaipuri village on the San Pedro and that it was probably near Aravaipa Creek (Undreiner, 1947:415‑486).
How long did I rest at Chichilticale?
Of Chichilticale, Vázquez de Coronado wrote, "I rested for two days at Chichilticale, and there was no chance to rest further, because the food was giving out.".
Which river did DiPeso cross?
Next, following the same methodology, DiPeso concluded that the second river crossed by the expedition was the Río Sinaloa, for Vázquez knew it by Guzman's old name "Río Cinaloa.". But here, DiPeso noted a discrepancy that he resolved by accepting Guzman's and Vázquez de Coronado's "Río Cinaloa.".
What were the three groups of people that made up the expedition?
The people who made up the expedition fell into three main groups: Europeans (especially from Castilla and Portugal); north and west Africans, who were almost all slaves or servants; and Native American allies, who comprised the largest component of the expedition.
What was the Mendoza family's role in Columbus's voyage to Asia?
The Mendoza family had a lengthy history of supporting the efforts of Columbus to reach Asia by sailing west from Spain. They viewed success in those efforts as tied to their own continued financial and political power, and that of Spain as a whole.
What led to the violent confrontation with Native Americans?
Frustration among the expeditionaries, coupled with severe physical conditions and resistance by Native groups, led to frequent violent confrontation with Native Americans. After nearly three years the highly disappointed expedition returned south to Mexico City, its point of origin, in 1542.
Who was the viceroy of New Spain?
In 1539 the viceroy of New Spain don Antonio de Mendoza, at the head of a group of financial backers, organized, financed, and launched an expedition aimed at completing the Columbian Project of reaching East Asia, the source of much desired luxury goods such as silk and porcelain, by traveling west from Iberia.
Who led the round trip trade?
Nevertheless, information obtained during that third attempt, led by Ruy López de Villalobos— a relative of the viceroy, eventually led to establishment of round-trip trade because Spain and countries of East Asia. Known as the "Manila Galleon," that trade was carried on for about three hundred years.
What did Pizarro do after executing Atahualpa?
After executing Atahualpa, Pizarro and his men headed to Cuzco, the capital of the Incan Empire. As the Spanish force approached Cuzco, Pizarro sent his brother Hernando and de Soto ahead with 40 men.
Why did De Soto cross the Mississippi River?
De Soto had little interest in the river, which in his view was an obstacle to his mission. There has been considerable research into the exact location where de Soto crossed the Mississippi River. A commission appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 determined that Sunflower Landing, Mississippi, was the "most likely" crossing place. De Soto and his men spent a month building flatboats, and crossed the river at night to avoid the Native Americans who were patrolling the river. De Soto had hostile relations with the native people in this area.
Why did the Spanish kill Atahualpa?
While de Soto was gone, the Spanish in Cajamarca decided to kill Atahualpa to prevent his rescue.
How many captains did Pizarro make?
Pizarro quickly made de Soto one of his captains. : 171
What was De Soto's greatest achievement?
There he acquired an encomienda and a public office in León, Nicaragua. Brave leadership, unwavering loyalty, and ruthless schemes for the extortion of native villages for their captured chiefs became de Soto's hallmarks during the conquest of Central America. He gained fame as an excellent horseman, fighter, and tactician. During that time, de Soto was influenced by the achievements of Iberian explorers: Juan Ponce de León, the first European to reach Florida; Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean coast of the Americas (he called it the "South Sea" on the south coast of Panama ); and Ferdinand Magellan, who first sailed that ocean to East Asia . In 1530, de Soto became a regidor of León, Nicaragua. He led an expedition up the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula searching for a passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean to enable trade with the Orient, the richest market in the world. Failing that, and without means to explore further, de Soto, upon Pedro Arias Dávila 's death, left his estates in Nicaragua. Bringing his own men on ships which he hired, de Soto joined Francisco Pizarro at his first base of Tumbes shortly before departure for the interior of present-day Peru.
How did Ortiz help the Spanish?
Ortiz developed a method for guiding the expedition and communicating with the various tribes, who spoke many dialects and languages. He recruited guides from each tribe along the route. A chain of communication was established whereby a guide who had lived in close proximity to another tribal area was able to pass his information and language on to a guide from a neighboring area. Because Ortiz refused to dress as an hidalgo Spaniard, other officers questioned his motives. De Soto remained loyal to Ortiz, allowing him the freedom to dress and live among his native friends. Another important guide was the seventeen-year-old boy Perico, or Pedro, from what is now Georgia. He spoke several of the local tribes' languages and could communicate with Ortiz. Perico was taken as a guide in 1540. The Spanish had also captured other Indians, whom they used as slave labor. Perico was treated better due to his value to the Spaniards.
What did the Spanish believe about the de Soto expedition?
The Spanish believed that de Soto's excursion to Florida was a failure. They acquired neither gold nor prosperity and founded no colonies. But the expedition had several major consequences.
What was the role of De Soto in the New World?
Although the family was of noble heritage, de Soto was poor and borrowed money to travel to the New World in 1514. He became a soldier, participating in raids and expeditions in Panama, Nicaragua, and Peru.
What was the main goal of De Soto?
His primary aim was the gaining of riches, and present-day Indians in Arkansas and other Southern states view him as a murderer. After traveling around the state for almost a year, de Soto led his expedition back to the Mississippi River, somewhere in southeast Arkansas. By that time, he and most of his entourage were disillusioned and tired ...
What happened to De Soto's body?
Fearing desecration of his corpse and the consequences if the Indians confirmed de Soto’s mortality, the soldiers dug up the body at night , weighted it down, and dumped it into the Mississippi River from a canoe.
What is the most valuable aspect of the accounts of De Soto?
The most valuable aspect of the accounts is the portrayal of the Indian groups the expedition encountered. Until the time of de Soto’s death in 1542, the narratives mention the following names of Indian chiefs, towns, and provinces in Arkansas: Aquixo, ...
Why did the soldiers dig up De Soto's body?
Within days, it was obvious that the Indians had noticed the freshly dug soil and were suspicious. Fearing desecration of his corpse and the consequences if the Indians confirmed de Soto’s mortality, the soldiers dug up the body at night, weighted it down, and dumped it into the Mississippi River from a canoe. A little over a year later, the survivors built barges and sailed down the Mississippi, after first trying to travel to Mexico by land.
When did De Soto set out?
In 1537, he began gathering supplies and recruiting a paid army to participate in the expedition. In May 1539 , de Soto set out from Cuba with about 600 men, plus horses, pigs, and equipment. His contract with the king required him to explore the region and establish settlements and forts.
Where was De Soto born?
Four written accounts of the expedition provide details about his trek through the state. De Soto was born in the Extremadura region of western Spain around 1500, but the exact date is uncertain. He probably was born in the town of Jerez de los Caballeros.
Why did Columbus not sell his idea to the king of Portugal?
For several years Columbus failed to sell his idea to the king of Portugal, primarily because Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias (c. 1450–1500) had found a sea passage from Europe to India, which was considered the best route at the time. Undaunted, Columbus decided to try his luck in Spain.
What did Columbus do to help Ferdinand and Isabella?
Columbus had no difficulty persuading Ferdinand and Isabella to sponsor a second voyage. When the expedition reached La Navidad in November 1493, however, they found the settlement in ruins. Either the Native Americans had turned against the Europeans or the Spaniards had fought among themselves—no one had survived to tell what had happened. Columbus decided to move 75 miles east, where he started building a settlement called Isabela. He immediately sent a party of men in search of gold while he explored the nearby islands.
Why did Columbus turn mutinous?
At first the expedition made rapid progress. By October 10, however, the crew had turned mutinous (rebellious) because they had not come in sight of land. Luckily for Columbus, two days later they reached a small island in the present-day Bahamas (a group of islands south of Florida).
How did the Spanish get rich?
The Spaniards soon found that land in the Southwest offered few mineral resources, and the only way to get rich was to use the Pueblo as forced labor for tasks that included herding, farmwork, blacksmithing (shaping iron), silver crafting, and domestic chores. Spanish-Native American relations were thus based on exploitation (using another person for selfish purposes). Over time, the Pueblo came to resent the Spaniards, who profoundly disturbed the ecology (pattern of relations between living things and their environment) in New Mexico. For instance, they brought cattle and sheep that consumed large amounts of prairie grasses. Spanish baking ovens greatly increased the need for firewood, depleting local supplies. To expand the existing network of irrigation (watering system) canals, the Spanish had to rely even more heavily on forced labor. When the Acoma Pueblo finally refused to submit to the intruders, the Spanish killed or enslaved hundreds of Native Americans.
What was the name of the island that Jesus founded?
On December 25, 1492, he founded the first European settlement in the Americas on an island he named Hispaniola . Called La Navidad ("the birth"; in commemoration of being founded on Christmas Day, or the birthday of Jesus), it stood on the site of present-day Limonade-Bordde-Mer, Haiti.
How did Europeans get to the Far East?
At that time, the only way for Europeans to reach the Far East was to sail south along the west coast of Africa and then east into the Indian Ocean. The most direct route was through the Mediterranean Sea, but the eastern end of that waterway was controlled by Turkey, a Muslim foe of the Europeans.
What were the influences of the Crusades?
One of the most significant influences was the Crusades (1095–1291), a failed Christian movement to recapture the Holy Land (a region in the Middle East comprising parts of modern Israel, Jordan, and Egypt; today known as Palestine) from the Muslims (followers of the Islamic religion). During four hundred years of interaction with Middle Eastern cultures, Europeans discovered the learning of the Muslims, which enabled them to make significant advances in exploration. For instance, they drafted more accurate maps of the known world, built swifter ships, and charted sea routes by observing the position of the Sun. Another important development was the introduction of luxury goods, such as silks and spices, that came from China and the East Indies (India and adjacent lands and islands in the Far East), which created a thriving market in Europe.
What did De Soto do to gain control of the New World?
In 1537 de Soto appealed to the King of Spain to be granted control of the New World territorial province that stretched from Rio de Las Palmas in South America to Florida. De Soto won his claim and was also granted the governorship of Cuba. However, his appointment stipulated that, within a year, he had to personally re-conquer and occupy Spanish Florida at his own expense. Previous ventures to South America with Pizarro had earned de Soto tremendous wealth and prestige; as a result, he found several willing financial partners for the venture, some of who accompanied de Soto on the actual voyage. He assembled and armada of 10 ships and 600 men. In April of 1538 his fleet departed from the port of San Lucar, Spain, for the shores of the New World. He landed in Cuba, remaining on the island for a few months to gather supplies, rest his men, and plan his expedition in Florida.
What did De Soto do to the Mississippi River?
After regrouping with some of his fleet and resting for a month, de Soto again pushed northward—though this time the decision would prove fatal. His expedition was plagued by Indian attacks as they made their way through western Alabama and Mississippi. On May 21, 1541, de Soto became the first European to sight the Mississippi River. He encountered the river south of Memphis, Tennessee, and instead of following the river and charting its path to the Gulf of Mexico, de Soto crossed the river into Arkansas in search of more wealth. The expedition was fruitless and de Soto lost more of his already diminished crew to fatigue and disease. Resolved to finally reunite with his fleet and return to Spain, de Soto decided to turn back and follow the Mississippi River southward. De Soto fell ill, most likely with Yellow Fever, and died in Louisiana on May 21, 1542, exactly one year after first sighting the Mississippi River.
What were the consequences of the De Soto Expedition?
The few surviving men from de Soto's crew, who made their way first to Mexico and then to Spain, returned to a Spanish Crown leery of their accomplishments in the New World and angry about the loss of money and human lives. In the New World the inadvertent consequence of exploration was the introduction of European disease that swept through Native populations that were not able to fend off foreign contagions. The grand sweep of de Soto's venture, as well as travel among the Indians themselves, drastically increased the number of people who were exposed to bubonic plague, smallpox, and various fevers. The onset of foreign diseases aided in the fragmentation of large Indian towns as people fled to escape illness, and in several decades, the great mound-building chiefdoms of the American Southeast all but vanished. In the two centuries after de Soto's travels, an estimated 90% of the Indian population that existed before European contact was decimated.
What was the Spanish claim to the New World?
These ventures had yielded the "discovery" of new fruits, exotic spices, and whole civilizations. In Spain both the Crown and some individuals had already begun to profit from plundering gold and luxury trade items from newly claimed lands. However, vast tracts of land claimed under the banner of Spain had yet to be fully explored. One such region was Spanish Florida and the American Southeast. Both tactical advantage, namely the conquest of more territory than rival European nations, and the widely spun legend of "cities of gold" pushed Spain to invest in the exploration of its claims in this region. Following the initial voyage of Juan Ponce de León (1460-1521), young, veteran explorer Hernando de Soto (1496-1542) was chosen to return to Florida and solidify Spain's claim and expand the territory. De Soto had accompanied Francisco Pizarro (c. 1475-1541) on earlier voyages to South America and had grown rich from trade with—and exploitation of—the Inca. Hoping to gain the same wealth and renown from his venture to North America, de Soto embarked on an ambitious sea and land venture. The resulting expedition was one of the most devastating episodes in the history of European contact with the New World.
What did De Soto do to find gold?
As de Soto pushed his way through the Southeast in search of gold, he abducted Native guides to lead his expedition. However, the Native peoples of the Southeast did not possess the gold wealth of the highly advanced Incan civilizations de Soto had encountered on his earlier ventures in Peru. Reports from the de Soto expedition, when the surviving members finally returned to Spain, changed the nature of European involvement in America. The failure of the de Soto expedition to locate gold and other precious metals in the Southeast made evident that the value of Spanish Florida was not in plunder, but in the actual land itself. Future expeditions to Spanish Florida largely focused on the establishment of various settlements, missions, and ports of trade. Furthermore, de Soto's expedition shaped the geographical boundaries of Spanish territories in the American Southeast. Violent encounters with indigenous tribes in Alabama convinced de Soto to abandon plans to establish Mobile as the chief city of the Spanish territories in the region. Future Spanish expeditions paid little attention to the area, which was eventually claimed and settled by the French.
What records did De Soto keep?
From the chronicles, the first charts of the interior of the Southeast were devised. Future expedition not only relied on the geographic information provided in the work, but also utilized information on de Soto's dealings with different Indian groups.
Where did De Soto land?
De Soto landed in Florida in May of 1539 and claimed formal possession of the land on June 3 despite ongoing hostility between his men and some of the neighboring Indian tribes. Welcomed by one local Native American chief, de Soto and his crew wintered in the village of Apalache before beginning their expedition. De Soto supposed that great indigenous civilizations, like those he encountered on voyages to South America, lay in the region's interior. Determined to garner further plunder for both his own interests and for the Spanish court, de Soto and his men headed northward through present-day Georgia. Once reaching the Piedmont, or the Appalachian foothills, de Soto turned his forces westward, exploring the Carolinas and Tennessee. Though he located the Tennessee River, de Soto had failed to find the material wealth and plunder after which he sought.
