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Ponce de Leon and the Early Exploration of Florida

Juan Ponce de Leon was born in 1460, in Tierra de Campos Paleia, in Leon, Spain (Ponce, 1996).

He came from a noble family and entered the royal household as a page for Pedro Nunez de Guzman, at the

Court of Aragon. Later, young Ponce de Leon would become a solider for Spain and fight in the battles to

drive the Moors from Granada (Blassingame, 1991).

In 1493, Leon sailed with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to America (Ponce, 1996).

He was a member of the forces that enslaved the Indians in Hispaniola.This was the European and Spanish

way. Few explores would look upon the natives they encountered as anything more than talking animals.

For the year of 1502 he was a captain under the governor of Hispaniola, Nicolas de Ovando (Thompson,

1990). During his time as captain he would suppress an Indian uprising. For this he was rewarded with the

governorship of Higuey (Blassingame, 1991).

Ponce de Leon would remain in Hispaniola until 1503. In this year he would be intrigued by the

tales of gold to be found in Borinquen, known as the modern Puerto Rico (Ponce, 1994). He sailed to

explore and settle the island. He landed on August 12, 1508 and soon con

to the expedition to colonize this new land (Ponce, 1993).

to do a proper job exploring the new land. He hoped that the king would give him permission and the

were so strong that they were able to crack helmets. Many of the men were killed, many more were

the Pensacola chief. He then traveled to the Indian village of Cofitachequi. There he was greeted by the

way home Pineda came upon a river that he named Rio del Espiritu Santo (River of the Holy Ghost). It is

Thompson, J (1990, November). Ponce de Leon. Stamps, pp 245-246.

Columbus made his first landfall two decades before. The crew sighted the coast of America on March 3,

founded fifty-two years later (1990).

He was so overwhelmed with his discovery that he sailed directly to Spain (Ponce 1994).

Little did Ponce de Leon know that Florida's geography had already been settled. In 1519, the

The viceroy of New Spain, Luis de Velasco, choose Tristan de Luna y Arellano to head the

Flores (Ponce, 1993). The first sighting took place near present day St. Augustine, which was to be

old Indian woman. She added an interesting twist to her story. In her tale she told him of a magic fountain

Approximate Word count = 1684
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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