Its origin is related to the legend of Sierra de la Plata concerning Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors who led an expedition to find silver. During the expedition, conquistadors along Amerigo Vespucci discovered the Rio de la Plata's estuary (freshwater marine lagoon). The name Argentina first appeared on the maps in the 16th century. For a long time, the term referred to everything related to the Rio de la Plata, its valley, territory, and people.
