1) Europeans began exploring North America in the late 15th/early 16th century in search of riches, religious freedom, and international prestige. France, Spain, and England all established early colonies. 2) Spanish explorers like Ponce de Leon, Cortez, Pizarro, Allyon, and De Soto explored much of the Southeast between the 1520s-1540s, establishing missions to convert Native Americans to Catholicism. However, many missions failed and native populations declined due to violence and introduced diseases. 3) Hernando De Soto's 1539-1542 expedition through what is now Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama introduced horses and guns to