Cortes.
Spanish explorers were the first Europeans to explore the Southwest.
The Spanish went from the southeast to the west coast exploring North America.
In the 1500s, the Spanish explored Florida. Around then Ponce de Leon was searching for the fountain of youth with his crew.
The Gulf of Mexico
It is true there were several Spanish colonial settlements in what is now the southeast and southwest US. The Spanish Missions in America were suppose to convert the indigenous people to Catholicism.
Spanish explorers
In the Americas:South Americathe Bahamasthe Caribbean : Cuba, Puerto Rico, and HispaniolaCentral AmericaMexicoFlorida (southeastern US)California (southwestern US)In the Pacific:the PhilippinesGuam
yes
the Spanish
calaforna
The US did take a part of Mexico which is now Texas