Hernando de Soto: Conquistador and Explorer

Hernando de Soto, born around 1500 in Spain, rose from a humble background to become a wealthy conquistador. He joined expeditions to the West Indies and Nicaragua, gaining wealth and power. De Soto played a key role in the conquest of Peru, discovering the Inca highway to Cusco. After returning to Spain, he married into wealth and was appointed governor of Cuba. He later explored parts of the southeastern United States, becoming the first European to discover the Mississippi River. De Soto's legacy is mixed, as he opened new territories but also damaged relations with native peoples.

What was Hernando de Soto's background before he became a wealthy conquistador?

• He was born into a wealthy family.

• He was a military leader in Spain.

• He came from a humble background.

• He was a famous explorer from birth.

Which expedition did Hernando de Soto join at the age of 14?

• Christopher Columbus's expedition

• Pedrera's expedition to the West Indies

• Magellan's circumnavigation

• Cortez's conquest of Mexico

What significant discovery did De Soto make during the conquest of Peru?

• The Andes Mountains

• The Pacific Ocean

• The Inca highway to Cusco

• The Amazon River

What was De Soto's role in the fall of the Inca aristocracy?

• He was a trader with the Incas.

• He led the forces that defeated the Incas at Cusco.

• He was a diplomat for the Spanish crown.

• He negotiated peace with the Incas.

After returning to Spain, whom did De Soto marry?

• A noblewoman from Seville

• The daughter of a Spanish king

• A wealthy merchant's daughter

• The daughter of his former patron, Arias Davila

What was De Soto's mission as the governor of Cuba?

• To trade with the native tribes

• To conquer the Caribbean islands

• To explore the areas presently known as Florida

• To establish a new colony in Mexico

Which river is De Soto credited with discovering?

• The Mississippi River

• The Missouri River

• The Colorado River

• The Amazon River

Where did Hernando de Soto die?

• In Cuba

• In present-day Louisiana

• In Spain

• In Peru

How should Hernando de Soto be remembered according to the video?

• As a religious missionary

• As both an explorer and a conquistador

• As a trader with the natives

• As a peaceful diplomat

What negative impact did De Soto have on the relationships between Europeans and natives?

• He improved trade relations.

• He established peaceful settlements.

• He poisoned many relationships through his treatment of them.

• He introduced new agricultural techniques.