Editing Pinellas County, Florida (section)

===Spanish and British Florida===
During the early 16th century [[Conquistador|Spanish explorers]] discovered and slowly began exploring Florida, including Tampa Bay. In 1528 [[Pánfilo de Narváez]] [[Narváez expedition#Arrival in Florida|landed in Pinellas]], and 10 years later [[Hernando de Soto]] is [[Hernando de Soto#De Soto's exploration of North America|thought]] to have explored the [[Tampa Bay area]]. By the early 18th century the Tocobaga had been virtually annihilated, having fallen victim to [[Smallpox|European diseases]] from which they had no immunity, as well as [[Queen Anne's War|European conflicts]]. Later Spanish explorers named the area ''Punta Piñal'' (Spanish for "Point of Pines" or "Piney Point"). After trading hands [[History of Florida#Colonial battleground|multiple times]] between the [[British Empire|British]] and the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]], Spain finally [[Adams–Onís Treaty|ceded Florida]] to the United States in 1821, and in 1823 the U.S. Army established [[Fort Brooke]] (later [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]]).