Juan Ponce De Leon: Age Of Discovery

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Juan Ponce de Leon explored the Caribbean and was the first assumed European to land in the state of Florida. This Spanish explorer was one of the many conquistadors looking for new lands during the Age of Exploration. He established many places for Spain and expanded their empire. He is most famous for trying to find the Fountain of Youth. Christopher Columbus’s journal and reports from the new land most likely made him want to follow in his footsteps. Other explorers’ stories of gold and riches might have inspired him to do the same. Juan Ponce de Leon lived and spent his childhood in Spain, where he was born in Santervas de Campos. His family was poor, but they were also noble. He served as a page for the court of Aragon and was a soldier who fought against the Moors in Granada. He wanted to be an explorer for the fame and fortune, and later became part of Christopher Columbus’s second expedition. He also helped build Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican …show more content…
While exploring he also settled San Juan. He returned to Spain after his first expedition, but was later sent on another trip. This time to find Bimini (an island with so called magical anti-aging waters). In 1513 on his search for the island and fountain of youth, he landed in Florida. He named it this due to its flowery vegetation. Juan failed to find the Fountain of Youth. Some people say that this expedition was not to find the Fountain of Youth, but to explore more islands. When Juan Ponce de Leon returned to Spain, he was named governor of Bimini and Florida. A few years later, Juan went on a second expedition to Florida. When they arrived they were attacked by natives. This left Juan Ponce de Leon wounded. He later died from a poison