This website is a short but sweet summary of Ponce de Leon’s life. It describes when and where he was born like a typical biography. It describes his adventures during the age of discovery. Including his trips to Puerto Rico. He made two voyages to Puerto Rico and was dubbed the governor of the Spanish province. It was after he was removed as governor that de Leon went on his famed search for he fountain of youth. This website is very plan and basic. Not the best to look at. It does however give you a good summary of this explorers life.
http://darter.ocps.k12.fl.us/classroom/who/darter2/ponce.html
This is another small and plain website, but in combination with the previous site they provide some good background information on Ponce de Leon. This site goes a little more into detail about how Ponce de Leon, sailed with Columbus, and how he persuaded the Spanish Government to allow him to take soldiers and look for the fountain of youth in what we now call Florida. De Leon gave Florida its name, after seeing many of the pretty flowers. I would offer a bit of caution, that this site is by no means professionally created or maintained. There is no bibliography, so I would be a little cautious about the exact dates provided. Other than that all the information seems valid.
http://www.floridahistory.org/floridians/conquis.htm
This site provides in formation on many explorers who have to do with the history of Florida. Click on the Ponce de Leon link. This section is much like the previous information in the other two sites that I provided accept it goes a little more in to detail. The best information can be found in the description of Ponce de Leon’s second voyage to Florida. He was armed with soldiers, and his purpose was to establish a colony in South Florida. The natives were not happy about this and violence broke out between the two groups. Ponce de Leon was shot in the stomach by a poison arrow, which ended up killing him sometime later.
Component B
Hello, my name is Juan Ponce de Leon. I was a great explorer who sailed for the mighty country of Spain. Although I have accomplished a lot in my life, most people remember me for my search for the fountain of youth. My career began when I accompanied the Portuguese mongrel Columbus. He was not the brightest of men, and definitely not the best captain. I did however learn from my voyage to the new world, on Columbus’s ship. After a few more voyages I landed upon the island Hispanola. It was here in this magical place that I first settled down in the New World. I was given the honor of goveneror, a title I held for a few years, until I discovered what was later to be called Puerto Rico, in the near by waters. Puerto Rico was full of gold and silver, which I began to mine and collect. The natives where friendly, and we traded with them so they would help us collect the precious metals. Fools, oh well. For my excellence in exploring I was awarded the governor of Puerto Rico. I stayed in power there for many years, each of the years, was more profitable than the next. Unfortunately the Spanish government decided to replace me with some hot shot, young war hero. It was okay I was tired of Puerto Rico and I had become anxious to hit the open waters again. During my stay in Puerto Rico I began reading about a magical fountain that gives whoever drinks out of it eternal life. I had consulted with many scholars and we all agreed than this fountain lay to the north. So after persuading my King to allow us to take soldiers and search for this fountain, we set sail. We searched many places and much to my disbelief we were unable to find the fountain of youth. We did discover a huge island which I named Florida. About 7 years after my search for the fountain, I returned to Florida to set up a colony. It was here that I was shot with a poison arrow, which most likely will be the end of the road for me. As I lay here in the hospital, I think back on my adventures in life. The people of Spain will forever remember what I have done for them.
