Ponce de León and His Expeditions

Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer, is often associated with the quest for the mythical Fountain of Youth. Born in 1474, he joined Columbus's second expedition and became a prominent conquistador. He played a significant role in the colonization of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. Despite legends, his voyages were primarily driven by the search for new lands and wealth for Spain. He explored Florida, mistakenly believing it to be an island, and his efforts laid the groundwork for future Spanish settlements. Ponce de Leon's legacy includes being the first European to reach mainland North America.

What is Juan Ponce de León famously associated with?

• The first circumnavigation of the globe

• The search for the Fountain of Youth

• The conquest of Mexico

• The discovery of America

Which expedition did Ponce de León join in 1493?

• Hernán Cortés's conquest of the Aztecs

• Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigation

• Vasco da Gama's expedition to India

• Christopher Columbus's second expedition to the New World

What system did Ponce de León use to enslave the Taino population?

• Feudalism

• Indentured servitude

• Incomienda

• Serfdom

What was Ponce de León's actual motive for his 1513 voyage?

• To find the Fountain of Youth

• To discover new islands and gold for Spain

• To map the coast of North America

• To establish a new trade route

What name did Ponce de León give to the region he thought was a new island?

• La Florida

• Hispaniola

• Puerto Rico

• Bimini

What significant oceanic current did Ponce de León encounter?

• The Canary Current

• The Labrador Current

• The North Atlantic Drift

• The Gulf Stream

What happened to Ponce de León's settlement attempt in Florida in 1521?

• It was attacked by Calusa warriors

• It was abandoned due to lack of resources

• It was successful and flourished

• It was destroyed by a hurricane

Where did Ponce de León die?

• Puerto Rico

• Florida

• Havana, Cuba

• Spain

What was the first permanent Spanish settlement in what would become the United States?

• New Orleans

• Santa Fe

• Saint Augustine

• Jamestown

What was Ponce de León's role in the Caribbean?

• He was a missionary

• He was a governor and conquistador

• He was a trader

• He was a pirate