Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was born in the year 1490. He grew up in Cadiz, Spain. His mother, Dona Teresa's surname was Cabeza de Vaca. The title came from the decisive Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in the Sierra Morenas, on July 12, 1212. While still in his teens, Alvar turned to the military for a career. Cabeza de Vaca's military exploits were so well respected that in 1527 he received a royal appointment. Alvar was appointed second in command of an expedition to conquer Florida.

Christopher Columbus was born on October 31, 1441 in Genoa, Italy. Christopher embarked on his first ship when he was just fourteen years old. After settling on the island of Madeira, Columbus soon began hearing rumors of the New World. Before long, Christopher decided that he wanted to take an expedition himself, but lacked the money. Eventually, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella elected to finance the journey.

Francisco Pizarro was born in Trujillo, Spain, in 1475. Pizarro never learned to read or write. He was the oldest of four half-brothers. In 1502, Pizarro set sail for the New World, arriving on the island of Hispaniola just as an Indian uprising was taking place. This was Francisco's first experience with battle. He would spend the next seven years in the military in Hispaniola.

Coronado was born in Salamanca, Spain, the son of noble parents. After years of haggling over his family's estate Coronado left Spain penniless and settled in Mexico City. Francisco did not remain poor for very long. Before long, he married the daughter of a royal treasurer whose father was the son of King Ferdinand. Coronado now moved in the same circles as the viceroy's court. After only a short time he found himself appointed acting governor of “New Galicia,” or Northern Mexico as we call it today.

Cortes was born in the city of Medellin, Spain in 1485. Little is known about his earliest years. In his late teens Cortes entered the Spanish army in hopes of finding his fortune. Where he lived was void of economic opportunities so he decided to seek his fortune in the New World. Hernan caught his first ship to the New World when he was only nineteen. Then in 1518, he began assembling men and supplies for his fabled trip to the Yucatan Peninsula. On February 18, 1519, he left Spain with 550 men, and sixteen horses. Cortes and his men landed on the island of Cozumel.

Hernando de Soto was born in the town of Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain in the year 1500. At the age of 14, he packed up his bags and joined a large Spanish expedition (entrada) bound for Panama. Also, on this expedition was Soto's future partner Juan Ponce de Leon. When he arrived in Panama Hernando would serve under the command of Captain Francisco Pizarro.

Juan Ponce de Leon was born in the town of Santervas de Campos, Spain in 1474. Juan was just eighteen when he first came to Cadiz, Spain. In Cadiz he heard news of Columbus's 2nd expedition or “entrada”. At the time, people believed that gold was to be found by the basket full in the New World. Historians have no idea how Juan Ponce de Leon made it on board a ship in 1493, but it is assumed his family paid his way. The crossing took twenty-two days and during this time Ponce de Leon learned how to sail. The expedition landed on Sunday, November 3, 1493, on an island they named Dominica. Before long they discovered several new islands including the Virgin Islands, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Antigua, San Martin, and Montserrat.

Like many of the conquistadors, Pedro de Alvarado came from one of the poorest regions of Spain called Extremadura. Pedro’s peers considered him fearless, ambitious, as well as cruel. His bravery and his brutality are well documented. Alvarado was fair-haired and very handsome. He loved to wear gold necklaces and jewels. The Indians called him Tonatiuh, the golden sun god. He landed in the New World in 1510, just in time to participate in the conquest of Cuba.

Balboa was born in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain in 1474. Balboa found passage to the New World on an expedition that would be led by a knight named Alonso de Ojeda. Ojeda had made a name for himself as a successful slave trader. Also traveling on this ship was Francisco Pizarro. Soon after landing, the Spaniards established a colony in Panama called Maria la Antigua del Darien.