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Which of the following are true of the Spanish exploration and conquests in America?

They discovered the Mississippi River, San Salvador, and the Pacific Ocean.
They found a waterway through Central America to the Pacific.
They started the settlement on the island of Hispaniola.
Ponce de Leon found cities of gold in Puerto Rico.
Columbus was the first explorer they sponsored.

1 answer

Let's analyze each statement regarding the Spanish exploration and conquests in America:

  1. They discovered the Mississippi River, San Salvador, and the Pacific Ocean.

    • This statement is partially true. Columbus is credited with discovering San Salvador (an island in the Bahamas) during his first voyage in 1492. However, he did not discover the Mississippi River, which was explored later, nor did he discover the Pacific Ocean; the ocean was named later, and Balboa was the first European to see it from the Americas in 1513.

  2. They found a waterway through Central America to the Pacific.

    • This statement is misleading. While Spanish explorers attempted to find a waterway (a passage) through Central America, they did not discover a navigable route until the construction of the Panama Canal in the 20th century. Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama in 1513 and was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas, but he did not find a waterway.

  3. They started the settlement on the island of Hispaniola.

    • This statement is true. Christopher Columbus established the first Spanish settlement on Hispaniola during his voyages, and it became the first permanent European settlement in the Americas.

  4. Ponce de Leon found cities of gold in Puerto Rico.

    • This statement is false. While Juan Ponce de León explored Puerto Rico and served as its first governor, he did not find cities of gold there, although he was in search of wealth.

  5. Columbus was the first explorer they sponsored.

    • This statement is true. Christopher Columbus was sponsored by the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, and he made the first voyage in 1492 that resulted in the European awareness of the Americas.

In summary:

  • True: They started the settlement on the island of Hispaniola, and Columbus was the first explorer they sponsored.
  • Partially true: They discovered San Salvador.
  • False: They discovered the Mississippi River and found a waterway through Central America to the Pacific.
  • False: Ponce de Leon found cities of gold in Puerto Rico.