By: Natasha Boes 1/18/13

Juan Ponce de Leon was an explorer for 28 years from 1493 to1521. He was born in Santervas Spain. Spain funded his exploration. The King/Government of Spain sent Juan Ponce de Leon. His goal of his exploration was to search for the legendary fountain of youth and other riches.

 He discovered Puerto Rico. He went through Florida, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Haiti. The natives living there were the native Americans. He discovered the Gulf Stream that would become very important for traveling from Europe to America. One of the consequences was that a lot of people died. A problem was that he wanted all the land claimed for Spain.

 Juan Ponce de Leon’s route started in Florida then continued on to the Bahamas,Dominican Republic, Haiti,Cuba and Puerto Rico

 What I learned was that back then it was harder to explore, travel, and get around. People did not live as long, a lot of countries claimed land, and people kept on discovering/finding new places. What I found interesting about Juan Ponce de Leon was that he named Florida (place of flowers), he discovered Puerto Rico, he died in Havana, Cuba, and was buried in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was the first European to set foot in Florida. He got honored by having San Juan, Puerto Rico named after him.

 Juan Ponce de Leon was a soldier fighting Muslims in southern Spain in the early 1490s. Ponce de Leon sailed on Christopher Columbus’ second expedition to the Americas in Ponce de Leon did not return to Spain with Columbus. He stayed in the Dominican Republic.

 "Juan Ponce De Leon: Explorer - EnchantedLearning.com." Juan Ponce De Leon: Explorer - EnchantedLearning.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan