On 27 March 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León and his expedition first sighted the land now known as Florida, during their search for the mythical Fountain of Youth.
Sailing along the east coast of what would become the United States, Ponce de León named the region "La Florida" in honour of Spain's Easter feast, "Pascua Florida."
This momentous discovery marked the beginning of European exploration and colonisation of the southeastern United States, influencing centuries of history and development in the Americas.
