A Spanish soldier and explorer named Juan Ponce de Leonard goes down in record for being the person behind the discovery of Florida. Juan had been on expedition with Christopher Colombus on his second voyage before venturing individually in search for adventure. He is known to have established the oldest settlement for the Europeans in Puerto Rico and was also identified to have discovered Gulf Stream, which is a Atlantic Ocean current as he was out in search for a legendary fountain, which was known to provide riches and youth.
It was at this time that he discovered a place, which the Bahama Indians called Canico, or Canicio. Juan named the place Florida because of the beautiful flowers it had and some say it was because the discovery was made on Easter Sunday and the
Orlando, Florida.
Spaniards called the day Pascua Florida. To commemorate it Juan raised a cross and then planted a Spanish flag on the land. This action symbolized that Florida had been taken possession of for the Spanish crown. This was in the year 1513.Florida then belonged to Spain but this was interchanged with England until 1819 when Florida was sold to the US. Juan Ponce de Leonard died in the year 1521.