Colonial Period

De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay

May 30, 1539
Florida
Date
May 30, 1539
Location
Florida
Type
expedition

What happened

On May 30, 1539, Hernando de Soto and his companions landed in Tampa Bay with 550 soldiers, 200 horses, and a few priests. The expedition marched through the southeastern United States before de Soto died in 1542 and survivors returned in 1543.

People involved

When this happened

De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay occurred in May 30, 1539, during the colonial period period of American history. The event spanned from 1539 to 1543.

Where this happened

De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay took place in Florida. Explore the full history of Florida and primary source records from this era.

Historical context — Colonial Period

European colonization of North America accelerated after 1600, with England, France, Spain, and the Netherlands establishing competing settlements along the Atlantic coast, the St. Lawrence River, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mississippi Valley. The first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia (1607) struggled with starvation and conflict; the Plymouth colony (1620) and the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630) followed. By the mid-1700s, thirteen English colonies stretched along the Atlantic seaboard, governed through a mix of royal charters, proprietary grants, and elected assemblies. The colonial economy depended on tobacco in Virginia and Maryland, rice and indigo in the Carolinas, and maritime trade in New England — all increasingly reliant on enslaved African labor after 1619. Conflict with Indigenous peoples over land was continuous, punctuated by major wars including King Philip's War (1675–1676) in New England and the Yamasee War (1715–1717) in the South. The French and Indian War (1754–1763), part of the global Seven Years' War, ended French power in North America and left Britain deeply in debt — triggering the taxation disputes that would lead to revolution.

Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia: De Soto expedition.

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Everything a full report reveals about Florida

This page covers De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay. A full Aubrey report on Florida pulls together this event alongside land records, conflicts, and everything else the historical record holds about the area:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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About De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay

What was De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay?
On May 30, 1539, Hernando de Soto and his companions landed in Tampa Bay with 550 soldiers, 200 horses, and a few priests. The expedition marched through the southeastern United States before de Soto died in 1542 and survivors returned in 1543.
When did De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay happen?
De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay occurred in May 30, 1539.
Where did De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay take place?
De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay took place in Florida.

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