Juan Ponce De Leon (Noun)
Meaning
Spanish explorer who accompanied Columbus on his second trip in 1493; in 1513 he discovered Florida while searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth (1460-1521).
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- Juan Ponce de Leon was one of the earliest European explorers to set foot on the eastern coast of what is now the United States.
- In 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon became the first recorded European to reach Florida, which he thought was a group of islands.
- Juan Ponce de Leon named the region he discovered "La Florida" in honor of the Spanish queen and because of the lush verdant landscape he encountered.
- The famous voyage of Juan Ponce de Leon in search of the Bimini, a paradise and a fountain of youth, became the stuff of legend.
- A successful businessman and military leader in Spain's New World empire, Juan Ponce de Leon made his fortune through cattle ranching, gold mining, and indigenous slave labor.