Ms. Cote's Fifth Grade!!

Hernando de Soto

Sailed for Spain
Came to Georgia in 1540 (present-day Albany, GA)
Destructive to the Native Americans, bringing diseases and violence into their lives
Looking for gold
De Soto and his men had horses, better weapons, and plated armor
Never found gold or riches
First European to cross the Mississippi River
Died from disease (semitropical fever) in 1542 along the Mississippi River

Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon

Sailed for Spain
Was a Spanish lawyer
Appointed as a judge for the Caribbean island of Hispaniola
Established the colony of San Miguel de Gualdape on Georgia's coast (it failed)
San Miguel de Gualdape was the first European colony in the United States before Jamestown or St. Augustine
Was the first European to set foot in what is known today as Georgia
His colony failed because:

(1) Lack of food and shelter

(2) Native Americans rose up and fought the Spanish colonists

(3) First slave revolt in America occurred

Use the information about each explorer on this page to help you complete the Explorer Match-Up activity.

Christopher Columbus

Sailed for Spain
Was from Italy
Credited for discovering the New World
Believed that the Far East (Asia) would be reached by sailing west
Believed that the earth was round, unlike some explorers
Tried to get support and money for his expeditions from the monarchs of France, Portugal, England (they said no)
Set sail in 1492 and landed in what is known as the Bahamas after sailing for 6 weeks
Made 4 voyages to the New World (1492, 1493, 1498, 1502)
First to give the natives the name "Indians" because he believed the island was part of the Indies

Ponce de Leon

Explorers