Ponce de LeonPonce de Leon was a Pueto Rican explorer. Ponce de Leon's name means ''john of the lion's pouch.'' He was famous for his red hair, his bravery, and his vicious dog, Berezillo, who also had a reddish coat. Not very much was known about Ponce de Leon's early life. Some people think that he was born in 1474 in Tervas, a province of Valladolid, Spain. People think he was born into a noble family. He was not known to have any wives or any kinds. Ponce de Leon was the one to conquer Florida.
Ponce de Leon went to try to get the fountain of youth that was suppose to restore youth. Though it restores youth, people think that he went for the money he could get out of it. His first record of European expedition to actually reach Florida. Ponce de Leon had become a soldier of the Hispania and had led the Spanish force to fight against the Indians in the eastern part of the province of Higuey.
English: Ruins of Juan Ponce de Leon's residence a...
English: Lighthouse at Ponce de Leon Inlet
Town hall of Ponce de Leon.In 1512 King Ferdinand chose Ponce de Leon to lead an expedition to colonize the island that was called Bimini. The Spaniards thought that it was in the northern part of Cuba, but they were mistaken. In 1492 Ponce de Leon reportedly fought in a long Spanish Campaign ship. Some other people think that after this he joined the vast second expedition of the famous Christopher Columbus.
His fleet reached Hisponiole. Hisponish is a Spanish island in the west Indies, in 1493. Ponce de Leon went back in 1502. Some historians believe that he didn't. Ponce de Leon was also the founder of the town of Salvalean, and he built a residence and invented mining, also he worked in agricultural enterprises.
In 1508 Ponce de Leon had left Hispanuola to explore the island of San Juan (later known as Puerto Rico). When he went there he discovered gold, and then he conquered the island. After he conquered it he became governor of the islands in 1509.
Ponce de Leon later went to search for Bimini again. He had only three ships when he went in 1513. When he was on his voyage, he got to explore the surroundings of the Bahamas.
On April 2, 1513 Ponce de Leon had anchored off the coast of Florida, but he thought it was another island, so claimed it for Spain. In 1515 Ponce de Leon returned to Pueto Rico to fight the caribeanse. Soon went back to Spain and got authorization to make a second voyage to Florida it was renewed.
When he conquered it he probrobly called it La Florida, this is probably because when he arrived there it was during the season of Easter. The Spaniards called Easter ''pasua floridas''. Ponce de Leon and his crew landed on the east coast of Florida, which is probably some where between what is now Augustine and Cape Canaveral. From Florida they sailed down and explored almost the whole entire eastern shoreline and the southern tip of the Florida keys and continued half way up Floridas west coast.
In 1514 Ponce De Leon went to Spain to claim Florida's territory. The king authorized him to claim Florida and Bimini. Ponce de Leon died in 1521 when he was wounded while he was fighting the Culusa '' a war group''. The Spaniards put up a stiff fight against the Culusa.
So for my conclusion I would like to say that Ponce de Leon was one of the explorers that stuff came about by accident. Just like Christopher Columbus with the indeans.