Ponce+de+Leon

PONCE DE LEON by Lila Norris     The explorer I studied is famous for searching for the Fountain of Youth. Can you guess who it is? If you guessed Ponce de Leon you’re right! Ponce de Leon was born in Spain around 1460. He also sailed for his mother country.

Ponce de Leon sailed on three voyages in the years, 1493, 1513, and1521. On his first voyage he sailed with Christopher Columbus, on Columbus’s second voyage. He settled in Hispaniola. He served as Deputy on the island and for the next two years he fought the Arawacks there.

In 1508 and 1509, he left Hispaniola and went to Puerto Rico. He supposedly found gold there and gave it the name Puerto Rico which means “rich port”. He became Governor there and made the first Spanish settlement on the island. Ponce de Leon became restless and wanted to find new land.  Ponce de Leon’s second voyage was to find the Fountain Of Youth. He went in search of Bimini. Rumor had it that any one who drank from the water found on this island would never grow old. Instead of landing on Bimini, however, Ponce de Leon landed on what is now called St. Augustine, Florida. He named it Florida because it looked like a beautiful flower. Florida means flowery in Spanish.

Five years after his first search for the Fountain of Youth, Ponce de Leon went on another expedition. When he and his crew landed in Florida they were met by a group of Native Americans who began to shoot poisonous arrows at them. Ponce de Leon was shot and taken back to Cuba where he died from his wounds. Juan Ponce de Leon died July of 1521.   media type="custom" key="8083638" align="center"