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The mainland of the North
American continent was first sighted by the Spanish explorer and
treasure hunter Don Juan Ponce de Leon on Easter, March 27, 1513. He
claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, meaning "Land of
Flowers." Between 1513 and 1563 the government of Spain launched six
expeditions to settle Florida, but all failed. The French succeeded
in establishing a fort and colony on the St. Johns River in 1564
and, in doing so, threatened Spain's treasure fleets which sailed
along Florida's shoreline returning to Spain. As a result of this
incursion into Florida, King Phillip II named Don Pedro Menendez
de Aviles, Spain's most experienced admiral, as governor of
Florida, instructing him to explore and to colonize the territory.
Menendez was also instructed to drive out any pirates or settlers of
other nations, should they be found there.
When Menendez arrived off the
coast of Florida, it was August 28, 1565, the Feast Day of St.
Augustine. Eleven days later, he and his 600 soldiers and settlers
came ashore at the site of the Timucuan Indian village of Seloy with
banners flying and trumpets sounding. He hastily fortified the
fledgling village and named it St. Augustine.
Utilizing brilliant military
maneuvers, Menendez destroyed the French garrison on the St. Johns
River and, with the help of a hurricane, also defeated the French
fleet. With the coast of Florida firmly in Spanish hands, he then
set to work building the town, establishing missions to the Indians
for the Church, and exploring the land.
Thus, St, Augustine was founded forty-two years before the English
colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and fifty-five hears before the
Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts - making it the
oldest permanent European settlement on the North American
continent.
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