Early Explorers and Map Skills

SOL 3.3 and 3.5

ANTARCTICA

ASIAEUROPE

NORTH AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

AFRICA

AUSTRALIA

ANTARCTICA

Atlan

tic

Oce

an

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Arctic Ocean

North America

We live on the continent of North America. Can you name the countries

on our continent?

United States

Canada

Mexico At

lant

ic O

cean

Pacifi

c Oce

an

England

Spain

France

Italy

Spain

France

England

Italy

A person who travels looking

for new discoveries

Who was the first European to

land in sunny Florida?

Although Juan Ponce De Leon was born into a noble family, he was poor and searched for fame and

fortune by becoming a soldier.

Ponce De Leon left Spain in 1493 on the 2nd journey of Christopher Columbus. Instead of returning home to Spain, Ponce De Leon stayed in the islands just below North America

Ponce De Leon decided to journey through the islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the southern tip of North America. In doing so, he hoped to discover riches and conquer land for Spain.

FRANCE

FLORID

A

FRANCE

FLORID

A

FRANCE

FLORID

A

FRANCE

FLORID

A

In 1513, his journeys brought him to the southeastern coast of North America in a town called St. Augustine. This made Juan Ponce De Leon the first European to land in Florida, claiming the land for Spain.

Click on the links below to learn more about your explorer!

• Ponce De Leon Poster

• Explorers

• World Explorers

• Kidinfo Explorers

• Social Studies for Kids