As a famous legend has said, unlikely to be true, Juan Ponce de León discovered Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth. Though it is off and on said that he sighted the peninsula for the first time, mistaking it for an island, on March 27, 1513, he may actually viewed one of the Bahama islands. He came on the east coast of the newly found land on April 2. He named land as La Pascua Florida, or "Flowery Easter," may be due to the abundant plant life in the area or to the fact that he came during the Spanish Easter feast, Pascua Florida.
However, Ponce de León actually not have been the first European to visit Florida, as he announced he found at least one Indian who could speak Spanish. Ponce de León came back with equipment and settlers to start up a colony in 1521, but they were sent back due to repeated attacks from the native population. The earliest records of inland Florida were those of conquest survivors. Pánfilo de Narváez's expedition discoverd Florida's west coast in 1528, but it was lost at sea upon his attempted seaward escape to Mexico.
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was one of his expedition's officers who had survived nine years trudging between Florida and Mexico, had returned to Spain and had published his observations. In short he had played an important part in Florida history which is reflected.
However, Ponce de León actually not have been the first European to visit Florida, as he announced he found at least one Indian who could speak Spanish. Ponce de León came back with equipment and settlers to start up a colony in 1521, but they were sent back due to repeated attacks from the native population. The earliest records of inland Florida were those of conquest survivors. Pánfilo de Narváez's expedition discoverd Florida's west coast in 1528, but it was lost at sea upon his attempted seaward escape to Mexico.
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was one of his expedition's officers who had survived nine years trudging between Florida and Mexico, had returned to Spain and had published his observations. In short he had played an important part in Florida history which is reflected.
