1. Who is Juan Ponce de Leon? 1460-1521
SS4H2 The student will describe European exploration in North America.
a. Describe the reasons for, obstacles to, and accomplishments of the Spanish,
French, and English explorations of John Cabot, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, Juan Ponce de León, Christopher Columbus, Henry Hudson, and Jacques Cartier.
b. Describe examples of cooperation and conflict between Europeans and Native Americans.

2. What was Ponce de Leon like before he was a sailor?
He lived in Spain.
He worked as a messenger for the royal court.
He trained as a soldier and fought in many battles.

3. For whom did Ponce de Leon sail?
He sailed for the Spanish.
Charles V (Charles the 5th) gave him permission to discover and settle the Island of Bimini, which is in the Bahamas.

5. Why did Ponce de Leon sail?
He was looking for gold, jewelry, and the Fountain of Youth.

6. Why did he go searching for gold?
In 1508, Ponce de Leon learned that gold had been found on an island that was nearby. He settled on this island. The king of Spain made Ponce de Leon governor of this land.

7. The Fountain of Youth
Ponce de Leon had heard stories about this fountain that had the power to make a person young again. The Native Americans also said that there was a lot of gold around the fountain. When the king heard about this, he gave Ponce de Leon ships and men to go searching for this Fountain of Youth.

8. What obstacles did Ponce de Leon face?
Weather- What type of storm happens in this area?
Natives- How do you think the Native Americans who lived here reacted to Ponce de Leon trying to take over?

9. What accomplishments did he achieve?
He discovered and settled San Juan.
He explored and conquered Puerto Rico and became its governor.

10. What failures did he have?
He never found the Fountain of Youth.
He tried, but was unsuccessful, to settle Florida.
He didn’t find the Island of Bimini.

11. What was Ponce de Leon’s relationship like with the Native Americans?
When he settled Puerto Rico, he treated the Native Americans that lived there terribly.
While trying to conquer Florida, Ponce de Leon was wounded with a poisonous arrow and later died from his wounds.

12. Interesting facts about Ponce de Leon
He sailed with Columbus on Columbus’s 2nd voyage. They went to Hispaniola.
He was the first Spaniard to set foot in the United States. He found and named the territory which is present day Florida. The name “Florida” means “covered in flowers” in Spanish.
He’s buried in the cathedral at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

13. Let’s answer our essential question?
Who is Juan Ponce de Leon?

14. Vocabulary
Conquistador : A conquistador is a man who conquers. The term comes from Spanish - a conquistador was a leader in the Spanish conquest of Americas in the 16th century. (an adventurer or conqueror)
Expedition : An excursion, journey, or voyage made for some specific purpose, as of exploration.
Conquest : Conquest is the conquering of someone or something.
Voyage: A journey or expedition from one place to another.