Oliver Berman
History 6-02
30 November, 2017
How Did Juan Ponce de León Change the World?
Juan Ponce de Leòn was born on April 8, 1460, in Santervás de Campos, Spain and later became a world-renowned explorer. He grew up in a poverty-stricken yet noble family although historians do not know much information about his parents. He was a page in Aragon’s court to Pedro Núñez de Gúzman (Dolan, Sean: Juan Ponce de Leòn). He was also the captain in Nicolás de Ovando unit when fighting in Moors, Granada with the Spanish crown to destroy an Islamic empire. Juan Ponce de León changed the world by being one of the explorers to discover Puerto Rico, the first European explorer to discover and name Florida, and the first governor of Florida and Puerto Rico, although he enslaved many people.
Juan Ponce de León journeyed on Christopher Columbus’ second journey to Puerto Rico, which was called San Juan Bautista at the time, and soon explored the land in search of gold. Not only did Juan Ponce de León find large quantities of gold, but he also encountered natives and said that “The mines are running well, though [the] war is no help since every day more caciques rebel and refuse to go [to work]. The Caribs had always been bad for this island.” (Juan Ponce de León – Explorer – Biography.com). This quote states that Juan Ponce de León did not think of the indigenous people highly.
After discovering Puerto Rico, on March 3, 1513, Juan Ponce de León sailed upon the shores of what he later named Florida. He was trying to go to Bimini but he went to Florida instead, similar how Christopher Columbus tried to sail to the Indies but washed up on North American mainland. Although Juan Ponce de León is greatly associated with the motive of finding the mythical Fountain of Youth, which is there is no evidence proving that he was and he was only associated with it after his death. Therefore, most historians believe that he was on a quest only for gold like the many other explorers of his time. Antonio de Herrera, one of the men on his journey, said that “They named it La Florida, because it had a very beautiful view of many and cool woodlands, and it was level and uniform: and because, moreover, they discovered it in the ‘Feast of Flowers’ [Easter] (Pascua Florida)” (AJ-095: Ponce de Léon, Voyages to Florida (1513) :: American Journeys). Not only was the name a compliment to the islands geography, the Feast of Flowers was the was highly thought of at the time.
After discovering Puerto Rico and Florida, Juan Ponce de León soon became the first governor of both. He was appointed the governor of San Juan Bautista by Nicola de Ovando given that Ponce de León escaped mutiny and was appointed the governor of Florida by the Spanish Crown. Juan Ponce de León was soon replaced as Puerto Rican governor by Christopher Columbus’s son Diego Columbus. In response, Antonio de Herrera wrote, “finding himself without [the] office, on account of Juan Ceron and Miguel Diaz having been restored to those of the island of San Juan.” which is a very positive message given his friend just was fired. (AJ-095: Ponce de León, Voyages to Florida (1513) :: American Journeys).
Despite this, Juan Ponce de León enslaved many natives and spread disease. For example, in his settlement of Puerto Rico, he took many natives, especially children, as slaves and gave them diseases like measles and smallpox. (Juan Ponce de León – Explorer – Biography.com). He also was brutal to his people and had no mercy. When ruling over his people, he used control tactics he learned while being captain in Nicolas de Ovando’s unit.
Juan Ponce de León died in Havana, Cuba due to an arrow wound in the leg in the year 1521 although he was not forgotten. After discovering and becoming the governor of Puerto Rico and Florida, people have honored him in many ways like the city of Ponce in Puerto Rico or Juan Ponce de León’s Fountain of Youth amusement park in Florida.
Works Cited:
Dolan, Sean. Juan Ponce de Leon. New York City: Chelsea House, 1995.
“AJ-095: Ponce de León, Voyages to Florida (1513) :: American Journeys”. American
Journeys. Wisconsin Historical Society. Web. Accessed 26 Nov. 2017
“Juan Ponce de León – Ages of Exploration”. The Ages of Exploration. Mariners’
Museum and Park. Web. Accessed 26 Nov. 2017.
“Juan Ponce de León — Britannica School”. Britannica School. Encyclopædia
Britannica. 2 Feb. 2016. Web. Accessed 26 Nov. 2017.
“Juan Ponce de León – Explorer – Biography.com”. Biography A&E Television
Networks. Web. Accessed 26 Nov. 2017.
“Juan Ponce de León – Exploration – History.com” History A&E Television Networks.
Web. Accessed 26 Nov. 2017
Acknowledgments:
Thank you to Ms. Wells for helping me with my citations and helping me with my background paragraph. I also thank ….