Spanish expeditions moved through GA. 1540: Most notable, Hernando de Soto's. Provided some of the best documentation of NA life in GA prior to 18c. The Spanish presence also included Catholic missionaries, who established Santa Catalina de Guale and other short-lived missions at points along Georgia's coast from 1568 through 1684. These missions played a key role in assimilating the Native American populations of the region into the colonial system. (jan 1, 1550 – jan 1, 1660)

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