Juan Ponce De Leon Research Paper

Words: 209
Pages: 1

Juan Ponce de Leon was the first Spanish explorer that launched a major expedition into the mainland America, north of Mexico in 1513. Ponce de Leon was a veteran of Columbus’s second trip to the Americas as well as the governor of the Spanish territory of Puerto Rico. As the governor of Puerto Rico, de Leon acquired a great wealth, something that didn’t go unnoticed by the King of Spain. While de Leon was one of the richest men, he wasn’t satisfied. That drove him to seek King Ferdinand’s permission to explore and settle Florida. De Leon ventured into the “island” of Florida with hopes of establishing a long-lasting colony there as well as obtain gold and slaves. Unfortunately for de Leon, his attempts to create a colony in Florida were futile