How did the State of Florida get its name?
You might know the State of Florida for
- Sunshine
- Alligators
- The place they launch space shuttles from — Cape Canaveral
- The self proclaimed happiest place on earth — Disney World
- or for all the hilarious stories from Reddit — https://www.reddit.com/r/FloridaMan/
But do you know how the State of Florida got its name?
It is all thanks to this dude.
His name was Juan Ponce De Leon.
Juan Ponce De Leon — The Governor of Puerto Rico
Ponce De Leon was a Spanish explorer and a conquistador. He joined Christopher Columbus’ second expedition to the “New World”. He eventually became the Governor of Puerto Rico.
Lots of Gold And Fountain Of Youth
The natives told Ponce De Leon that there was a land near Cuba that was rich in gold and had a rejuvenating fountain of youth. If there was one thing that motivated the Spanish, it was gold. So, he went to King Ferdinand of Spain with this information and got his permission to explore.
Ponce De Leon and his expedition party sailed northwest from Puerto Rico. His exploration coincided with the Easter celebration in Spain.
Easter Celebration In Spain
The Spaniards celebrated Easter through a festival they called “Pascua Florida”. Pascua Florida in Spanish means “flowery festival” or “feast of flowers”.
Spotting An Unfamiliar Land
They eventually come across a piece of unfamiliar land. Ponce De Leon eventually came on shore to explore. The exact location of where they came on shore is not known. But historians believe that it was probably near modern day St. Augustine, Florida.
Naming of Florida
Since he “discovered” Florida during Easter, Ponce De Leon decided to name the land “La Pascua de la Florida” in honor of the Spanish Easter celebration festival “Pascua Florida”. The name stuck.
Pascua Florida Day
Pascua Florida is now celebrated as a state holiday in the State of Florida as the Pascua Florida Day.
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