Between 1513 and 1542, Spanish explorers visited several key areas of North America as part of their expeditions. Notable explorations and the regions they covered include:
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Florida: Juan Ponce de León is known for being the first European to explore Florida in 1513, primarily searching for the Fountain of Youth. He landed on the east coast of Florida.
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Southeastern United States: Hernando de Soto explored parts of the southeastern United States from 1539 to 1542, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and the Carolinas. He was the first European to document the Mississippi River.
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Texas: In his exploration, De Soto also reached areas that would later become Texas, interacting with various Native American tribes along the way.
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New Mexico: Francisco Vázquez de Coronado led an expedition through parts of the southwestern United States, which included areas of present-day New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, in search of the fabled Seven Cities of Gold from 1540 to 1542.
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California: Although not heavily explored until later, there were some preliminary expeditions along the western coast, including near California.
These explorations fundamentally impacted the understanding and mapping of North America, leading to further Spanish colonization in the following decades.
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