Meeting of the Cultures
In the fifty years before St. Augustine’s founding in 1565, several European expeditions, which included both free and enslaved Africans and a handful of women, tried but failed to establish settlements in Florida. The explorers sought gold and other riches, but found none. They did find numerous and diverse Native peoples. What happened when Europeans, Native peoples, and Africans met changed Florida forever.
Juan Ponce de León was the first European to explore Florida with permission from the Spanish crown. However, unrecorded expeditions, probably slave raids, may have occurred before 1513. The Calusa and other Native tribes reacted violently to Ponce’s presence, which would have been a typical response when confronted by armed strangers.
The Conquistadors
The lure of riches and adventure prompted individuals to lead journeys of exploration and settlement in the Americas.
However, before they could begin, they needed authorization from the Spanish monarchs. These men became known as conquistadores, which means “conqueror.” The conquistadors who came to Florida already had participated in conquests
in other areas of the Americas.
Meeting of the Cultures area of Forever Changed: La Florida, 1513–1821
