USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Hernando de Soto’s expedition of La Florida lasted four years, from 1539-1543. He and his men explored over 4, 000 miles of territory within ten modern U.S. states searching for riches and an ideal location to create a Spanish settlement.

Detailed explanation-2: -The first European to explore the interior of what is now the state of Georgia was Hernando de Soto. In fact, De Soto entered the state on two occasions during the course of his expedition. Hernando de Soto was born about the year 1500 in Extremadura, Spain.

Detailed explanation-3: -Traveling through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, across the Appalachians, and back to Alabama, de Soto failed to find the gold and silver he desired, but he did seize a valuable collection of pearls at Cofitachequi, in present-day Georgia.

Detailed explanation-4: -Marker Text: Hernando de Soto, born ca. 1500, nobleman, conquistador, Governor of Cuba, with rights to conquer Florida, traveled in 1540 through what later became Georgia on an expedition to find gold. His exact route is unknown and certain landmarks mentioned by the scribe of the expedition remain unidentified.

Detailed explanation-5: -De Soto was sent by the King of Spain to explore and settle La Florida. It had already been claimed for Spain by another conquistador, Juan Ponce de León. The king wanted de Soto to start a Spanish colony there and govern it.