Juan Ponce de Leon

Juan Ponce de Leon was a famous explorer. Juan Ponce de Leon was born in 1460. At that time it was time of exploration. The time of exploration lasted from 1400 to 1800. Ponce de Leon had a heart for explorering. This heart lead him to join the Voyage with Christopher Columbus, his second voyage to the new world. Ponce de Leon set sail in 1493. He was one out of many Spanish explorers on Columbus's ship. The crew sailed to a land called Hispaniola. This island was in the middle of the island that we now call Cuba and Puerto Rico. The men on this ship wanted to find gold. The crew wanted the Indians to listen to their commands. They used their force to get their ways. Indians told him there was gold in what we now call Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was 700 miles away. Thou Ponce de Leon took men to search for gold. With Ponce de Leon in charge the Spanish killed many Taino and Puerto Rico people. Then Ponce de Leon heard of the fountain of youth. The fountain of youth would keep anyone young forever. But people said the story was just a myth. He looked for it and found it! In 1521 Ponce de Leon took a second voyage to Florida. He and his crew settled there. The Indians did not want them on their land. Ponce de Leon was hit by a poison arrow and died. Ponce de Leon was a great Spanish explorer.

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