Hernando de Soto Biography Born: c. 1496 Jerez de los
Caballeros, Spain Died: May 21, 1542 Ferriday (now in Louisiana
in the United States) The Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto
participated in the conquests of Nicaragua (in Middle America)
and Peru (in South America). De Soto explored parts of nine
states in the southeastern part of the United States, and he was
the first white man to cross the Mississippi River. Born to
explore Hernando de Soto was born sometime between 1496 and 1501
at Jerez de los Caballeros in the province of Estremadura,
Spain. He was born into a family with minor nobility and little
money as the second son of Francisco Mendez de Soto and Leonor
Arias Tinoco. His education was limited; he was more interested
in adventure and exploration. With little more than a sword and
shield he sailed to Central America in 1514 with Pedro Arias de
Ávila (c. 1440–1531), known as Pedrarias, who was about to
become the governor of Panama. As Pedrarias's lieutenant, de
Soto was allowed to explore Central