Juan Ponce de Leon was a Spanish explorer. He was an ambitious man because he had dreams of finding the Fountain of Youth. He was determined to get to Florida. Ponce de Leon named Florida, Florida, because it means “flowery” in Spanish and they saw lots of flowers there. After he got there, he didn't find the Fountain of Youth.

Ponce de Leon was born in 1460 in Spain.When he was a boy, he was hired to deliver messages. Later, he joined the military. After sailing with Christopher Columbus he stayed in Santa Domingo,an island off the coast of florida.

As a reward for helping Spain, Ponce de Leon was given the right to find Bimini. Bimini was in the Bahamas.The Fountain was supposed to be in Bimini.The legend said that whoever drank from it would never grow old. Ponce de Leon organized a journey to find the Fountain. Their planning time was March,1513. He landed near the site witch is now Saint Augustine, Florida. He did not know that he was in the United States. He thought that he landed on an island.

He was the first European to explore Florida. The next day he claimed the land for the King of Spain. Ponce de Leon sailed through the Florida Keys and found nothing. He had no luck, so he went back to spain.

Five years after going to Spain, Ponce de Leon went on another voyage to Bimini in Febuary, 1521 with two ships and two hundred men.They arrived on the west coast of Florida. When they got on land they met natives. The natives started shooting arrows. Ponce de Leon got shot with an arrow and was taken back to the ship and then on to Cuba. Ponce de leon died in 1521 from his wound.

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Letter to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand

Feb. 23, 1521

Dear Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand,

Thank you so much for supporting my expedition. I have found new land and named it Florida because it has a lot of flowers. I did not succeed the first time, but I did find Indians on the island. Unfortunately we had a war and we lost most of our men. We did not find the fountain of Youth, but I am very tankful of your support.

Yours truly,

Juan Ponce de Leon

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