Who was Hernando de Soto and what did he do?
Hernando de Soto ( /də ˈsoʊtoʊ/; Spanish: [eɾˈnando ðe ˈsoto]; c. 1500 – May 21, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula, and played an important role in Pizarro’s conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru, but is best known for leading…
Who was the first person to cross the Mississippi River?
Hernando de Soto (c. 1500 – May 21, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States (Florida, Georgia, Alabama and most likely Arkansas), and the first documented European to have crossed the Mississippi River.
Where did Hernando de Soto find Casqui artifacts?
Many archaeologists believe the Parkin Site in northeast Arkansas was the main town for the indigenous province of Casqui, which de Soto had recorded. They base this on similarities between descriptions from the journals of the de Soto expedition and artifacts of European origin discovered at the site in the 1960s.
How long did the De Soto expedition stay in Arkansas?
It spent the next eleven months roaming around the state until de Soto’s death on May 31, 1542 (May 21 on the Julian calendar). After his death, the survivors made their way to Mexico.
When did Hernando de Soto cross the Mississippi River?
In mid-1541, the Spaniards sighted the Mississippi River. They crossed it and headed into Arkansas and Louisiana, but early in 1542 turned back to the Mississippi. 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.
Who was the first archaeologist to study the De Soto route?
The first attempt to use archaeological evidence to refine the route was in 1951, when three archaeologists—Philip Phillips, James A. Ford, and James B. Griffin—published a work on the archaeology of the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Included was their reinterpretation of the route that encompassed archaeological information known at that time.