Changes

  Juan Ponce de Leon conquered the island of Puerto Rico, discovered Florida, explored its coast and made a failed attempt to start a settlement there.  Ponce de Leon was born about 1460 in San Tervas de Campos, Spain. As a young man he joined the war to conquer Granada, the last Moorish State on the Iberien Peninsula. He first visited the New World on Columbus's second voyage in 1493 and settled there in 1502.  He and his family settled on a island in the Caribean named Hispaniola (Dominican Republic).  He became a military commander and helped conquer the Tainos of the Eastern part Of Hispaniola and was rewarded with the Governorship of the Province of Higuey that was created there.  He forced the Tainos to work in the mines and to construct fortifications.  The Tainos died in great numbers after exposure to European diseases.  Ponce de Leon became rich while serving as Governor, married a Spanish woman named Leonore and had two daughters and one son.

  Juan Ponce de Leon conquered the island of Puerto Rico, discovered  

Florida, explored its coast and made a failed attempt to start a

settlement there.  Ponce de Leon was born about 1460 in San Tervas  

de Campos, Spain. As a young man he joined the war to conquer

Granada, the last Moorish State on the Iberien Peninsula. He first

visited the New World on Columbus's second voyage in 1493 and

settled there in 1502.  He and his family settled on a island in  

the Caribean named Hispaniola (Dominican Republic).  He became a

military commander and helped conquer the Tainos of the Eastern  

part Of Hispaniola and was rewarded with the Governorship of the  

Province of Higuey that was created there.  He forced the Tainos to

work in the mines and to construct fortifications.  The Tainos

died in great numbers after exposure to European diseases.  Ponce

de Leon became rich while serving as Governor, married a Spanish  

woman named Leonore and had two daughters and one son

In 1506 after the death of Christopher Columbus Spanish authorites refused to grant his son Diego Columbus lifetime governorship of his Dad's discoveries.  Spanish Crown had selected de Leon to colonize and govern Puerto Rico.  Diego took his claim to the top court in Madrid and won his rights.  De Leon was removed from office in 1511.  Not wanting to serve Diego, de Leon obtained title to explore areas north of Cuba.

In 1506 after the death of Christopher Columbus Spanish authorites refused to grant his son Diego Columbus lifetime governorship of his Dad's discoveries.  Spanish Crown had selected de Leon to colonize and govern Puerto Rico.  Diego took his claim to the top court in Madrid and won his rights.  De Leon was removed from office in 1511.  Not wanting to serve Diego, de Leon obtained title to explore areas north of Cuba.

Ponce le Leon searched for an island said to lie north of Cuba called Bimini. There were stories of a Fountain of Youth.  A legendary, magical spring whose water was believed to make older people young again and to cure all illness.  He left Puerto Rico in March 1513 sailing northwest skirting the Bahamas.  He named the beautiful mainland Tierra La Florida or Land of Flowers.  He landed just north of present day St Augustine and stayed for six days.

Ponce le Leon searched for an island said to lie north of Cuba called Bimini. There were stories of a Fountain of Youth.  A legendary, magical spring whose water was believed to make older people young again and to cure all illness.  He left Puerto Rico in March 1513 sailing northwest skirting the Bahamas.  He named the beautiful mainland Tierra La Florida or Land of Flowers.  He landed just north of present day St Augustine and stayed for six days.