When a North American of the early 20th century heard “De Soto”, he was likely thinking about a car, because Hernando de Soto ceded his name to an automobile company. His story is a great odyssey which, though it did not end with huge economic, military, or strategic gains, was a huge achievement given the vast size of the territory discovered after a rout that is estimated in near 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles).

He was a man of action, which forced his hand into the exploration of unknown lands. His expeditionary baptism took place in 1523, when he accompanied Francisco Fernández de Córdoba to Nicaragua, founding the cities of Granada and Nueva León. He is also known for being the first European to see the Mississippi River, a scene that is remembered in one of the eight paintings in the Capitol Rotunda (Washington, DC).