Conquistadores

The Conquistadores were Spanish explorers and soldiers who came to the New World from the 15th to the 17th centuries and tried to defeat the native populations.

Hernán Cortés is known for his conquest of Mexico's Aztec Empire in 1521.

Francisco Pizarro defeated the Incas of Peru in 1533.

Pánfilo Narváez attempted to invade Florida, landing at Tampa Bay in 1527. The natives constantly attacked Narváez and his men, and they were forced to turn back. However, the fleet they left had disappeared. They built new boats, but only four men, one of whom was Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, were able to get back to Mexico, which was controlled by Spain.

Francisco de Coronado explored the region around the Rio Grande, the Great Plains and the Southern Rocky Mountains, returning in 1542.

Hernando de Soto was the first European to see the Mississippi River. He arrived in Tampa Bay in May 1539 and traveled to what are now Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana. He died in the lower Mississippi valley in 1542, suffering from fever.

Francisco de Orellana was the first European to explore the Amazon River, travelling its entire length. During his travels, he discovered a tribe of warrior women. He named the river after the Amazons of Greek legend, whom they resembled.