Final answer:
Hernando de Soto explored the southeastern United States from 1539 to 1542, covering present-day Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas, contributing to the spread of European diseases and ultimately dying in Louisiana.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exploration of Hernando de Soto for Spain
Hernando de Soto explored a vast region of what constitutes the present-day southeastern United States for Spain.
From 1539 to 1542, he and his fellow Spaniards traversed through what is now Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas, in search of gold.
Unfortunately, the expeditions led to devastating outbreaks of European diseases, which caused the deaths of thousands of native people and ultimately, de Soto's demise in Louisiana in 1542.
Although the explorers failed to find the gold they sought, their ventures had lasting impacts on the native populations and the territorial claims in the Americas.