Laura Hamilton Waxman 
Journey with Juan Ponce de Leon 

In 1493 Juan Ponce de Leon joined Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World. Thus began a lifetime of exploration for Ponce de Leon, who traveled to Puerto Rico in 1506, the island of Bimini in 1512, Florida in 1513. He died in Florida, fighting against the area’s indigenous people. How can we know what Ponce de Leon’s explorations were like, or what effect his actions had on the Native peoples he encountered? By studying maps, journal excerpts, and other artifacts from Ponce de Leon’s time, we can learn about his impact on history.