Who were the early explorers in Florida?

European Exploration and Colonization ... Menéndez arrived in 1565 at a place he called San Augustín (St. Augustine) and established the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United ... At the same time, French explorers were moving down the Mississippi River valley and eastward along the Gulf Coast. read more

European Exploration and Colonization Written records about life in Florida began with the arrival of the Spanish explorer and adventurer Juan Ponce de León in 1513. Sometime between April 2 and April 8, Ponce de León waded ashore on the northeast coast of Florida, possibly near present-day St. Augustine. read more

Juan Ponce de León was the first Spanish explorer to arrive in Florida. Early Spanish explorers were known as conquistadors (kahn-KEYS-ta-dawrz) or"conquerors." While there are no official records, historians believe that Ponce de León was born in 1460 in San Tervas de Campos, Spain. read more