HISTORY OF FLORIDA

History of Florida

History of Florida

Introduction

Florida is a land that was discovered in the late fifteenth century during the travel of European sailors after the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus. Specifically, this land was trampled by the first time in 1498 by Amerigo Vespucci, Ponce de Leon and one of the brothers Pinzon (Douglas, 1993).

Following Columbus's 1492 voyage, Spain initiated a series of expeditions to the Caribbean over the next several years. These early voyages of exploration led the Spanish south and westward. Thus, Florida was discovered at a much later date than Mexico and other lands claimed by Spain. As one historian stated, even the shores of the vast Pacific had been reached by Balboa before the southeastern portion of the United States had been discovered. In short, Spanish America grew, but failed to include any of the present-day United States for decades. Hernando Cortez conquered the Aztecs of Mexico in 1521. In 1531, Francisco Pizarro triumphed over the Inca Empire in Peru. Spain controlled virtually all of Central and much of South America, as well as the islands of the Caribbean before a single Spaniard set foot on Florida's soil. However, all of that changed with Juan Ponce de Leon, a young Spanish adventurer who wanted to discover new lands for his king and church (Douglas, 1993).

Discussion

Ponce de Leon

Juan Ponce de León first left Spain for the New World in 1493, when historians believe he accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second journey to the West Indies. After arriving, Juan Ponce de León vanished from the records of the New World for nearly a decade. Not much is known about the explorer after his first trip to the Caribbean. Some historians ask a question whether Juan Ponce de León really went to the island of Hispaniola, today, Haiti and the Dominican Republic comprise the island, Spain's first colony in the New World. Others believe Juan Ponce de León went with Columbus, but then immediately returned to Spain. What historians do agree on is that, in 1502, Ponce de Leon resurfaced in records and soon made a name for himself (John and Mary 2004).

In 1502, the island of Hispaniola was in the midst of an Indian revolt. Ponce de León became prominent through his ability to lead and fight. As compensation for his efforts, King Ferdinand II named Ponce de León governor of the eastern part of the island of Puerto Rico (called San Juan at the time). There, he managed to become quite wealthy through farming. He might have settled down and enjoyed a comfortable life; instead, Ponce de León faced a lengthy legal battle. The title of governor legally belonged to Diego Columbus, a son of the famed explorer. Diego did not intend to lose such a valuable prize and took his claim to the highest court in Spain's capital of Madrid. In 1511, the courts agreed with Columbus. As a result, Ponce de Leon was removed as governor, but he retained his post as ...