Hernando De Soto

In May of 1539, Hernando De Soto landed on Florida s west coast. For three years, he led a party through the unexplored region that the Spanish called "La Florida." "La Florida" was the name for most of the southeastern portion of the United States, though some historians believe that "La Florida" was the Spanish term for North America during that era. Like other explorers of the time, De Soto was on a quest for gold and glory. Although he found none, he did become the first European to cross the great Mississippi River. And in the end, he was buried in the river to keep the Native Americans from digging up his grave.