Florida

Florida, also known as La Florida^[1], was a large peninsula located in the southeastern region of North America; with the Gulf of Mexico on its west and the Atlantic Ocean on its east. It was discovered by Juan Ponce de León in 1513. By many legends and lore, Florida was best known as the supposed location of the Fountain of Youth, a legendary spring that grants one immortality.

History

Discovery

The earliest known European explorers came to Florida with Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León, who spotted the peninsula on April 2, 1513. Ponce de León named the region La Florida ("flowery land") because it was then the Easter Season, known to the Spanish as Pascua Florida (roughly "Flowery Easter"), and because the vegetation was in bloom.

Ponce de León may not have been the first European to reach Florida, however, because at least one indigenous tribesman whom he encountered in Florida spoke Spanish. From 1513 onward, the land became known as "La Florida", although after 1630 and throughout the 18th century, Tegesta (after the Tequesta tribe) was an alternate name of choice for the peninsula.

Fountain of Youth

According to legend, Florida was the supposed location of the Fountain of Youth. Ponce de León was known to attempt to search in Florida to find it, but he was never able to find it until he searched on another island.^[2] His journey through Florida was recorded through the Mao Kun Map. After this, no other outsider has set foot in Florida for many years.

18th century

Shortly after the Spanish colonized Florida, the city of San Augustin was built. By the beginning of the quest for the Shadow Gold, Florida was ruled by an old Spanish governor known as El Cruel.

Behind the scenes

Florida has yet to appear in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

So far, only a drawing of Florida appeared in the Map to the Land of the Dead featured in the 2007 film Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and the 2011 film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and mentioned in other material, such as books.

In real-world history, Juan Ponce de León was never able to find the Fountain of Youth in Florida and returned to Spain. Later, he organized another expedition to Florida in 1521, during which he was wounded with a poisoned arrow, and later died of the wound.

Florida is the location of the Walt Disney World Resort, located in Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, opened on October 1, 1971 as the Magic Kingdom.

Florida appears in Tim Powers' 1987 novel On Stranger Tides, which was used as the basis for the fourth Pirates film.^[3]

Because a drawing of Florida appeared in the map featured in At World's End, many fans believed that Florida would appear as the location of the Fountain of Youth in On Stranger Tides. This was speculated due to the real-world myth of Florida being a notable location of Ponce de León's search for the Fountain, as well as Florida's appearance in Tim Powers' novel of the same name that was used for the film. However, the fourth Pirates film revealed that a unnamed Caribbean island was the true location of the Fountain.

Lauren Maher (Scarlett), Peter Donald Badalamenti II (Penrod) and Brendyn Bell (Cabin Boy) were all born in Florida.

Appearances

• Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father (First mentioned)
• The Price of Freedom (Mentioned only)
• Legends of the Brethren Court: The Caribbean (Mentioned only)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (On map only)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (On map only)

External links

• Florida on Wikipedia

Notes and references

1. ↑ On the Mao Kun Map, Florida is named La Florida.
2. ↑ No name has been designated for the island in the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides or any POTC-related material. And it's not Florida, as the island doesn't look like Florida at all.
3. ↑ On Stranger Tides

Locations in Pirates of the Caribbean
Africa Barbary Coast – Calabar – Egypt – Kerma – Slave Coast – Tripoli The Americas Boston – Florida – Louisiana – Mexico – New Orleans – North Carolina Panama – Peru – Savannah – Virginia – Yucatán Peninsula Asia Bombay – China – Hong Kong – India – Nippon – Shanghai – Singapore – Suvarnadurg The Bahamas Andros – Nassau – New Avalon – New Providence The Caribbean Antigua – Black rock island – Cuba – Devil's Triangle – Dominica – Guadeloupe – Hangman's Bay – Hispaniola Ile d'Etable de Porc – Isla De La Avaricia – Isla Cruces – Isla de Muerta – Isla de Pelegostos Martinique – Padres Del Fuego – Port Royal – Poseidon's Tomb Puerto Rico – Saint Martin – San Silvestre –Shipwreck Island – St. Lucia – Tortuga – Unnamed Island Europe Barcelona – Cádiz – France – Gibraltar – Great Britain – Holland London – Marseille – Paris – Portugal – Scotland – Seville – Spain – Other locations Davy Jones' Locker – Farthest Gate – Ice Passage – Isla Sirena
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