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Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Florida
His son, Sebastian, the same year that Columbus discovered the mainland, discovered Newfoundland, and sailed as far south as Chesapeake Bay. This voyage gave to England her title to that portion of the New World; and though it has had such immense results, his burial place is to-day unknown.
1512-On Easter Sunday Ponce de Leon, a Spaniard, discovered Florida, which he named on account of the day and the gay flowers of spring (Pascua Florida).
1513-Balboa, one of the most intrepid of the early Spanish explorers, on September 29, 1513, crossed the Isthmus of Darien, and discovered the Pacific ocean. He waded into its waters with his naked sword in one hand and the banner of Castile in the other and took possession of it in the name of the Spanish crown.
1524-Verrazaim, a noble Florentine, was sent out by Francis I. of France, with four vessels to find a new route to the Indies. He reached land, supposed to be the coast of North Carolina. He skirted northward as far as the coast of New Jersey, and entered the harbors of New York and Newport, and named the country New France, which appellation was afterward restricted to Canada. From Martha's Vineyard and Boston he proceeded as far as Nova Scotia, reaching Cape Breton, Newfoundland and Labrador, previously discovered by the Cabots.
1528-De Narvaez, with 300 men, attempted the conquest of Florida. After many sufferings the expedition reached the Gulf of Mexico, where Narvaez and all his survivors, except four, were shipwrecked and lost.
1535-Jacques Cartier, a native of St. Malo, France, ascended the St. Lawrence river as far as the Indian village of Hochelaga, the present site of Montreal, which he named Mont Réal, on account of the lofty eminence there overlooking the St. Lawrence. He also named the river, having discovered it on the feast of that saint.
1539-Hernando de Soto, in all great qualities the equal of the most illustrious explorers and one of the most intrepid characters in the history of American discovery, undertook the conquest of Florida with 600 picked men. He had previously accompanied Pizarro to Peru and won distinction in the battle that was fought between his chief and Almagro. After his return to Spain he was appointed Captain-General of Cuba and Florida; and on April 6, 1538, he sailed from San Lucar de Barrameda to undertake the conquest of the latter territory.