Exploration and Settlement By chrismarin15 1492 Columbus lands at Hispanola in the Caribbean 1513 Balboa "discovers" the Pacific Ocean in Panama 1521 Cortes conquers the Aztecs at Tenochtitlan(Mexico City) 1539 De Soto explores the region between Florida and the Mississippi River 1607 First permanent English settlement is founded in Jamestown, Virginia 1620 Mayflower Pilgrims found Plymouth colony in Massachusetts 1676 English settlers defeat Native Americans in King Philip's War 1682 France claims the Mississippi River Valley and names it Louisiana
