{"id":12865,"date":"2024-03-29T20:50:35","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T19:50:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=12865"},"modified":"2024-03-29T20:50:35","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T19:50:35","slug":"what-spanish-explorer-found-the-mississippi-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/what-spanish-explorer-found-the-mississippi-river\/","title":{"rendered":"What Spanish Explorer Found The Mississippi River"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hernando de Soto and the Discovery of The Mississippi River<\/h2>\n

Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer who is remembered for helping Spain conquor the New World. He was born in Jerez de los Caballeros, Extremadura, Spain in the year 1500. In 1520, de Soto went to Hispaniola where he acquired a large property. The following year, he joined an expedition to Cuba. In 1528, the governor of Cuba, Panfilo de Narvaez, appointed de Soto as his lieutenant governor and sent him to conquer Florida. <\/p>\n

After arriving in Tampa Bay in 1539, de Soto and his men journeyed north from present-day (April 2021) Georgia, through the Carolinas and into Tennessee. He then turned westward traveling across the great plains of Arkansas into Oklahoma and Texas. Finally, de Soto reached the great Mississippi River in 1541. It is believed that his expedition was the first European contact with the river. <\/p>\n

De Soto and his men explored this mighty river for many months traveling from its source in present-day (April 2021) Minnesota, down to its mouth in Louisiana. During their journey, there were conflicts between the Spaniards and the Native Americans, who were trying to defend their territory. Eventually, the Native Americans were unable to stop the Spaniards’ progress and de Soto declared the Mississippi River to be a part of the Spanish Empire. <\/p>\n

De Soto’s discovery of the Mississippi River was an important event in the history of America, as it provided Europeans with an easier means of access to the interior of the continent. In addition, it enabled the Spanish to expand their empire and increase their influence in the New World. De Soto and his men were able to establish a number of settlements along the river, including the first Spanish capital in the Americas, in Pensacola, Florida. <\/p>\n