Hernando de Soto

Hernando De Soto was born in the 1500s. He was a Spanish explorer who sailed the Atlantic Ocean and was the first European to explore Florida and the southeastern United States.

In 1524, he went on an expedition to Nicaragua. De Soto lived for a while in Nicaragua, where he worked in the business of buying and selling slaves.

In 1531, de Soto went on an expedition to Peru. During this time, he and Francisco Pizarro met and killed the leader of the Inca people.

Then, De Soto returned to Spain in 1536. He was named governor of Cuba in 1537.

De Soto arrived in Florida in 1539 with 10 ships carrying over 600 soldiers, priests, and explorers. They spent four years searching for gold and silver, exploring the area, and fighting violently with the Native Americans. De Soto died during the explorations and was buried by the Mississippi River in 1542.