While leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, de Soto was the first to have discovered the Mississippi River. His expedition ranged throughout the southeastern United States searching for gold and a passage to China.
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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Expedition into North America by Hernando de Soto". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 January 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=10024, accessed 09 June 2026.]
