Allison's+explorer+information

=== Don Juan ponce De Leon was a Spanish explorer. We don't know exactly when he was born, so we're guessing around 1474. His family records are confusing and poorly documented. There is no proof of who his parents were, but we think he was a member of an influential noble family. One of his relatives was Rodrigo Ponce De Leon. ===

=== As a kid, he worked as a messenger boy in a royal court. Later, he trained as a soldier and fought many battles. When the war ended against Emirate of Granada, there was no need for his services at home anymore. So he looked for his next adventure. ===

=== In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the new world. He returned to Spain with the news. In September 1493, Christopher Columbus wanted to go on a second journey to the Americas. The king and queen of Spain ships and sailors for the trip. Ponce De Leon was one of them. They all set sail in again 1493. They reached the Caribbean in November 1493. They discovered many islands. When everyone else returned to Spain, Ponce De Leon stayed in an island which is now the Dominican Republic. Around 1505, he married Leonora, a daughter of an innkeeper. They had 3 daughters, Juana, Isabel, Maria, & one son Luis. ===

=== In 1508, he learned that gold had been found. It was on a nearby island. It was now what is Puerto Rico. He went to the island. In 1509 he took settlers there. The king and Queen of Spain were happy, he had found land and gold for Spain. The king made Ponce De Leon Governor. ===

=== Later, Ponce De Leon was hearing stories from the Indians about the "fountain of youth." They said that the water in the fountain had powers to make a person young again. The Indians also said that there was gold around the fountain. ===

Ponce De Leon told the king of Spain about this. He gave him ships and men again. In 1513 he set out to find the fountain of youth.
=== **Ponce De Leon sailed north from Puerto Rico. He looked for the island that the Indians had described to him. He was not going to find the Fountain Of Youth. Then, his** ** spirits lifted. He found another island. This land had lots and lots of flowers. Ponce De Leon named the island Pascua Florida, or, La Florida. He claimed it in the name of the king of Spain. Today it is the state of Florida. **===

===** In the place of flowers, the Indians were not nice. They wanted the strangers to leave. The Indians attacked Ponce De Leon and his men. Luckily, he escaped to his ship. Eight years later, in the winter of 1521, Ponce De Lon returned to La Florida. He took 500 men with him. He hoped to settle a colony. He soon found out that he chose a bad place to settle. **===

=== There was very little food and water. Ponce De Leon led the men into a forest and woods, hoping to find a river, but they found mean Indian warriors. Ponce De Leon was shot with a poisoned arrow, The soldiers carried him back to the ship, where he soon died. ===