La Florida.

Spanish interests in North America during the first half of the sixteenth century centered on La Florida. Conquistadores such as Juan Ponce de Leon and Panfilo de Narvaez launched repeated invasions beginning in 1513 in hopes of finding gold, seizing slaves, and taking control of the strategic peninsula. While their expeditions often included hundreds of soldiers equipped with muskets, horses, and armor, they failed to achieve their objectives because of the opposition of powerful Indian tribes such as the Timucua, Calusa, Aute, and Apalachee. The Native Americans' resistance was so effective, in fact, that it helped persuade King Philip II of Spain to decree in 1562 that Florida would no longer be the object of Spanish colonization efforts.

Early Efforts.

Juan Ponce de Leon led the first Spanish expedition to Florida in 1513. Seeking gold and slaves...