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  • EN EL CAMINO OTRA VEZ
  • Timeline/16th Century
    • Timeline 1513 - Juan Ponce de Leon Discovers North America, Names Her 'La Florida'
    • Timeline 1513 - The First African-American ​Was a Spanish Conquistador!
    • Timeline April 22, 1513 ​Alaminos discovers the Gulf Stream
    • Timeline 1517 - De Cordoba, wounded in Yucatan, stops in Florida
    • Timeline 1518 - Grijalva Reaches Galveston Island
    • Timeline 1519 - De Pineda confirms Florida ​is not an island
    • Timeline 1521 - Juan Ponce de Leon Returns to Florida, Falls Mortally Wounded
    • Timeline 1524-25 - Estevan Gomez Explores the East Coast
    • Timeline 1526 - Ayllón lands in S.C., settles in Georgia
    • Timeline 1528 - Narváez expedition succumbs to storms and natives
    • Timeline 1528-36 - Cabeza de Vaca treks across North America
    • Timeline 1537-42 - Cabeza de Vaca Returns to Spain, Writes 'La Relacion'
    • Timeline 1539 - De Niza Searches for Golden Cities of Cibola
    • Timeline 1539-42 - De Soto celebrates first American Christmas
    • Timeline 1540 - Hernando de Alarcon ​Reaches California
    • Timeline 1540-42 - Coronado Explores the Southwest, Cardenas Discovers the Grand Canyon
    • Timeline 1542-43 - ​Cabrillo explores California coast
    • Timeline 1559 - De Luna Builds Santa Maria de Ochuse
    • Timeline 1565 - Pedro Menendez de Aviles establishes St. Augustine
    • Timeline 1566 - Santa Elena and Beyond
    • Timeline 1598 - Juan de Oñate - New Mexico
  • Timeline/17th Century
    • Timeline 1602 - Sebastian Vizcaino Explores the West Coast
    • Timeline 1610 - Pedro de Peralta Establishes Santa Fe
    • Timeline 1610-26 - San Miguel, oldest church on the U.S. mainland
    • Timeline 1613 - Juan Rodriguez - First NY Immigrant
    • Timeline 1633 - Misión San Luis de Apalachee
    • Timeline 1682 - San Antonio de la Ysleta del Sur
    • Timeline 1691 - Father Eusebio Kino - Tumacácori and Guevavi
    • Timeline 1692 - Father Eusebio Kino - San Xavier del Bac ​
    • Timeline 1692 - Diego de Vargas - Santa Fe
    • Timeline 1695 - Castillo de San Marcos
  • Timeline/18th Century
    • Timeline 1718 - Mision San Antonio de Valero - The Alamo
    • Timeline 1738 - Runaway slaves establish Fort Mose, the first free African-American community​
    • Timeline 1738 - Francisco Menendez Leads Fort Mose
    • Timeline 1742 - Spanish Soldiers Open Fort Matanzas
    • Timeline 1752 - San Ignacio de Tubac
    • Timeline 1763 - Spanish Florida Goes to England
    • Timeline 1765 - Juan Antonio Maria de Rivera ​- Colorado and Utah
    • Timeline 1769 - Father Serra Opens San Diego de Alcalá, ​California's first Spanish mission
    • Timeline 1771 - ​Father Serra establishes San Gabriel Arcángel
    • Timeline 1772 - Good hunting determines site of Mision San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
    • Timeline 1775 - Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón - Captain Hugh O’ Connor
    • Timeline 1776-83 - Hispanics in the American Revolution
    • Timeline 1776 - The Birth of San Francisco de Asis
    • Timeline 1781 - Spanish troops defeat the British, capture Pensacola
    • Timeline 1781 - Pobladores of Los Angeles are imported
    • Timeline 1791 - Alessandro Malaspina - Alaska
    • Timeline 1797 - The Birth of Villa de Branciforte
    • Timeline 1797 - Fermín Francisco de Lasuén Establishes Misión San Fernando Rey de España
  • Explorando Nuevo Mexico
  • 22. Historia, fe, cultura y orgullo en exhibición en las fiestas hispanas​
  • Exploring New Mexico
  • 22. History, faith, culture and pride on display ​in Hispanic fiestas
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"This name later embraced all of what is now the United States," -- the key point of my columns on this subject is written on the wall in St. Augustine.

29. Florida's Birthday
     Should Be a National Holiday

By Miguel Pérez

When he discovered the huge landmass now known as the United States, Juan Ponce de Leon decided to call it Florida. It was April 2, 1513, during the "Pascua Florida" season — Spanish for "Flowery Easter" — and that name seemed appropriate as the conquistador and his 200 explorers contemplated the lush vegetation along the shoreline.
     They became the first Europeans to set foot on the mainland that later became the United States, landing somewhere on the east coast of the peninsula now known as the state of Florida.
     Yet their historic achievement is mostly ignored in the United States. April 2 is not an American holiday.
     When American history books tell us that Ponce de Leon discovered Florida, they usually fail to explain that the Florida territory of the 16th century covered a huge portion of today’s American mainland, and they undermine the importance of his great discovery.
     Although Florida initially was believed to be an island, in the late 16th century, European scholars and mapmakers used the word "Florida" to describe our country. Yet nowadays, when we hear that Ponce de Leon discovered Florida, we give him credit only for one state. It's absurd! He discovered our country! And instead of recognizing his great accomplishment, we entertain ourselves with mythical stories about his alleged search for a fictitious “Fountain of Youth.” That’s even more absurd!
     We know the main reason is The Black Legend, that infamous and insidious Anglo-Saxon campaign to demonize the Spanish explorers and minimize their accomplishments, a legend that has distorted American history and is still promoted by both anti-Hispanic zealots and Latinos who reject their Spanish heritage.
     But why are the rest of us Americans, of all ethnic and racial backgrounds, depriving ourselves of celebrating our national "American Discovery Day"? (That's what I would call it!) Why aren't we seeing huge nationwide celebrations to commemorate our birthday every April 2?
      Could it be simple confusion about the territory Ponce de Leon discovered? Consider this: Had this country been discovered by Anglo-Saxon explorers, instead of Spanish conquistadors, wouldn't we be watching fireworks all over the United State every April 2? Shouldn’t this day be even bigger than our entire Hispanic Heritage Month?
     That month is mostly dedicated to commemorating Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World on Oct. 12, 1492 – although he never set foot in North America. It’s a time for ethnic parades and other wonderful festivities, as well as for some conflict between those Latinos who celebrate the accomplishments of their Spanish ancestors and those who reject them as ruthless invaders.
     But unfortunately, even among those Latinos who do celebrate their Spanish heritage, the month's festivities seldom are used to recognize the great feats of those conquistadors who really did discover, explore and settle huge portions of North America long before other Europeans.
     Hernando de Soto, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca and many other 16th-century Spanish explorers are the original American pioneers, the heroes who should be recognized during Hispanic Heritage Month.
     But it all began with the one who arrived in the New World on Columbus’ second trip, became the first governor of Puerto Rico, sailed north from Puerto Rico on March 4, 1513, and almost one month later found the land that was to become our country. He was mortally wounded during his second trip to Florida in 1521 and he is buried in Old San Juan.
     Yet even in 2013, on the momentous 500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon’s journey, we missed a huge opportunity to teach our fellow Americans the complete history of the United States. 
     In 1976, when the U.S. celebrated the bicentennial of the American Revolution, and in 1992, when the entire Western Hemisphere celebrated the quincentennial of its discovery, there were wonderful re-enactments of historic moments, great history lessons, tall ship flotillas and plenty of fireworks.
     Yet April 2, 2013 – our American quincentennial – didn’t get similar attention. But why do we neglect our "American Discovery Day"? Is it because it would expose Hispanic roots that American history tends to keep hidden? Is it because it reminds us of nearly a century of Spanish exploration of North America before the British arrived?
     Mind you, in 2004, the Florida Legislature passed a law calling on the Florida Department of State to create a "Discovery of Florida Quincentennial Commemoration Commission," which was to "develop and lead a statewide master plan" for celebrations in 2013. Yet adequate funding for that project never was allocated by that same legislature; the commission never was fully established; and the law was repealed in 2008.
     And mind you, also in 2004, the two U.S. senators from Florida, Bob Graham and Bill Nelson, both Democrats, introduced federal legislation that would have established a "National Commission on the Quincentennial of the discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon" — with offices in St. Augustine — to "encourage, coordinate and conduct" celebrations that would "enhance public understanding of the impact of the discovery of Florida on the history of the United States." However, although it was passed by the U.S. Senate, the bill never cleared the House and never became law. And so, plans for a national celebration never went anywhere.
     Granted, under a statewide "Viva Florida 500" campaign, there were history lectures, art exhibits, tall ship flotillas, parades, fireworks and wonderful reenactments of historic moments. But unfortunately, these events were so small and so local that the rest of us the nation was not even aware of them.
     Since I started raising this issue in 2009, suggesting in several columns that Florida’s birthday should be a national holiday, many readers have reacted very positively. They tell me to go ahead and “make it happen,” — as if one columnist had the power to do it all alone.
     The discovery of our homeland surely deserves a huge national celebration. But it’s up to all of us to make it happen. If you want to join me in this quest, send this essay to everyone you know. Ask your elected officials to issue proclamations recognizing April 2 as our American Discovery Day. I only have planted a seed, and this is a garden that belongs to all of us.
 
Parts of this article draw from three columns written for the Creators Syndicate: “American Discovery Day, on Sept. 15, 2009, “What a Birthday to Forget,” on April 19, 2011 and “Florida’s 500th Birthday Should be a National Holiday,” on Feb. 12, 2013.
Graveside of Juan Ponce de Leaon
Juan Ponce de Leon
Gravesite of Juan Ponce de Leon
Gravesite of Juan Ponce de Leon
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Ponce de Leon
Downtown St. Augustine
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Juan Ponce de Leon
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UPDATE FROM MY 2022 ROADTRIP
​
19th stop: ​St. Augustine's statue
​             of Juan Ponce de Leon

They are all very similar, but if you pay close attention, you realize that they are not exactly the same.

This is the Juan Ponce de Leon statue in the center of downtown St. Augustine, which is quite similar to the one we already saw in Punta Vedra Beach, and the one that stands in the center of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The former governor of Puerto Rico, who discovered and named Florida in 1513 has long been associated with St. Augustine and with a misguided tale about his search for a Fountain of Youth.

The pedestal notes that Ponce de Leon "landed near this spot." But Florida historians no longer believe this is true. They say he landed much further south. They also don't believe he was even looking for a Fountain of Youth.

As if it wasn't enough, he discovered the mainland that is now the United States of America! All other tales are efforts to subtract from his great achievement.

​Do you remember our third stop at Virginia's "First Landing Park" a few weeks ago? Well, we are still heading south, to "Ponce de Leon Landing Park" - the real first European landing on the U.S. mainland. Should we go there next?
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                   CHAPTERS/CAPITULOS

1. Our Pre-Mayflower Thanksgivings
Nuestros Días de Acción de Gracias Pre-Mayflower
               
2. A Tale of Two Cities
                 
3. Our Pre-Hispanic Heritage
              

4. The Black Legend Returns

4. La Leyenda Negra Regresa
                
5. Even on HBO, The Black Legend Lives
                   
6. Our Spanish Heritage
                     
7. Exalted or Offended?
                    
8. We are all 'Americanos'
                  
9. Latinos are Failing
                  
10. Hispanic, Columbus or Indigenous Day?
10. 
™Dia Hispano, De Colon o Indigena?
                   
11. Two Good Places to Rest
11. Dos buenos lugares para descansar
                  
12. Whitman's Prophetic Letter
12. La Carta Profética de Whitman
                  
13. America’s Cradle
13. La Cuna de America
                 
14. Our Quincentennial is Coming!

14. ´Nuestro Quinto Centenario Se Avecina!
                   
15. 
This chapter was merged with Chapter 29
                
16. A Time To Welcome the Spirits
                  
17. A Hispanic Christmas
17. Una Navidad Hispana
                  
18. JOSE MARTI:
     His Legacy Lives Here
     Su Legado Vive Aquí 
                
19. Hyphenated and Proud!
                   
20. Politicizing Education

21. Speak Any Spanish Lately?
              
22. Happy Three Kings Day!
22. ​
´Feliz Día de Reyes!
               
23. 
This chapter was merged with Chapter 29

24. A Long-Overdue Museum
                 
25. America's First Christmas was celebrated in Spanish
25. La Primera Navidad Americana fue celebrada en español

26. The Grand Canyon
and the Bucket List
 Of Hispanic Heritage
26. El Gran Canyon
y la Lista de Lugares de la Herencia Hispana

                  
27. Now That Fiesta Month Is Here,
Can We Talk About Heritage?

27. Ahora que el mes de fiesta hispana esta aquí,

​™Podemos hablar de nuestra herencia?
                  
28. Our Hispanic Heritage: On Exhibit and Yet Hidden
28. Nuestra Herencia Hispana: En Exhibición y Sin Embargo Oculta

29. Florida's Birthday Should Be a National Holiday

             
30. A Local Celebration that Should be National               

31. 
This chapter was merged with Chapter 30               
​

32. The Conveniently 'Forgotten War'
32. La Guerra Convenientemente Olvidada

33. Guantanamo Has a History  June 4, 2013

34. Exposing the Social Media Bigots  June 18, 2013
34. Exponiendo a los Intolerantes
     de los Medios Sociales June 18, 2013

35. Thinking of Cusi On the Fourth of July
35. Pensando en Cusi en el Cuatro de Julio

36. The Discovery of White Hispanics
36.  El Descubrimiento de los Hispanos Blancos

37. Let's Build a Timeline Of Hispanic-American History
37. Vamos a Construir una Cronología
     De la Historia Hispanoamericana

38. In the Name of Heritage
38. En el Nombre de la Herencia

39. Hispanics or Latinos?
39. ™Hispanos o Latinos?

40.  Hollywood's Hidden Hispanic Heritage
40. La Herencia Hispana Oculta en Hollywood

41. Obliviously Living in ‘The Land of Estevan Gomez’
41. Viviendo Inconscientemente
       En la ‘Tierra de Estevan Gómez’

42. Marking America's Birthplace
42. Marcando el Lugar de Nacimiento De Estados Unidos

43. Hispanics in Denial Should Be Infamous
43. Los Hispanos en Rechazo Deben Ser Infames

44. 
Gay Marriage's Hidden American History
      Started in Spanish
 CABEZA DE VACA'S JOURNEY
44. La Historia Oculta del Matrimonio Gay
      En América Comenzó en Español
        EL VIAJE DE CABEZA DE VACA​

45. Super Bowl Coke Commercial
       Draws Out Ugly Americans

45. Comercial de Coke en Super Bowl
     Hace Relucir a los Americanos Feos


46. 
The 'Discovery' of Self-Loathing Hispanics
46. El ‘Descubrimiento' de los
     Hispanos que se Auto Desprecian


THE GREAT HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORY TOUR 
June 2014 - January 2015


47. My Pilgrimage to San Xavier
47. Mi Peregrinaje a San Xavier

48. The Great Hispanic American History Tour
48. La Gran Gira por la Historia Hispanoamericana

49. On the Trail of Conquistadors
49. En el Camino de los Conquistadores

50. Beyond St. Augustine
50. Más Allá de San Agustín

51. A Hidden Hispanic Role Model
51. Un Modelo Hispano Oculto

52. The Hispanic Flank of the American Revolution
52. El Flanco Hispano de la Revolucion Americana
​

53. New Orleans Has a Spanish ‘Ne Sais Quoi’
53. Nueva Orleans Tiene Un ‘Ne Sais Quoi’ Español

54. Galveston: Still the Isle of Misfortune?

55. Extracting Compacted History
     Unveils Hidden Hispanic Heritage

56. 'Remember The Alamo' Was a Spanish Mission

57. San Antonio: The Showcase Of Our Hispanic Heritage

58. There Was Compassion On the Spanish Mission Trail

59. A Hidden Latina Role Model

60. Time Portals on the Road

61. The First Thanksgiving
     In the (Southwest) United States

62. The World's Biggest Statue
of a Nameless Horseback Rider


63. A River Runs Through Our Hispanic Heritage

64. A Beacon of Hope On a Border Mountaintop

65. A Mexican-American Town
65. Un Pueblo Mexico-Americano

66. The Crossroads of Conquistadors

67. Hiking In Search of Coronado's Trail

68. The Real American Pioneers

69. Keeping My Pledge to San Xavier

70. If They Knew Arizona's History,
     They Wouldn't Be So Xenophobic

71. 'Tucson' is a Spanish Adaptation

72. Under a Utah Lake, Hispanic Heritage Lives

73. A Hilltop View Of Hispanic Heritage

74. Searching for Coronado's Quivira

75. The Spanish Savior of St. Louis

76. 
Jefferson's Spanish Library

WASHINGTON, D.C.
February-June 2015

77. When Galvez Came to Congress
77. Cuando Gálvez Vino al Congreso


78. A Tour of Our Extraordinarily Hispanic U.S. Capitol

79. Searching for Not-S0-Hidden
Hispanic Heritage in Washington, DC


80. Smithsonian Omits Hispanics In U.S. History Exhibit
80. Smithsonian Omite a los Hispanos
     en Exhibición de Historia de EE.UU.
MIAMI - August 2015
​
81. Finding Dad in a Museum
81. Encontre a Mi Padre en un Museo


​CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP - 2018
82. International Friendship Park ​at U.S.-Mexico Border
​- A Jagged Corner of the World


83. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
​
84. Cabrillo National Monument

85. ​It took more than 2 centuries

86. Presidio Park: The Birthplace
of the Spanish Colonization of California


87. Junípero Serra Museum Transcends the Story of a Great Man

88. Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá:
California's First Spanish Mission


89. Old Mission (Padre) Dam: California's First Aqueduct

90. Even at the beach in San Diego, you can't avoid Spanish history

91. Chicano Park: Mexican-American ​painted under highway ramps

92. Balboa Park: Candy for your eyes amid a painful controversy!

93. San Diego: An American Town
Named After the Saint from Alcalá

93. San Diego: Un Pueblo Americano
Lleva el Nombre del Santo de Alcalá


94. San Luis Rey de Francia: The King of the California Missions
94. San Luis Rey de Francia: ​El Rey de las Misiones de California

95. San Antonio de Pala:
A Sub-Mission to Reach
 the Natives of the Interior
95. San Antonio de Pala:
Una Asistencia para Alcanzar los Nativos del Interior

96. San Juan Capistrano:
The Home of the Mission Swallows
 from Argentina
96. San Juan Capistrano:
El Hogar de las Golondrinas Desaparecidas ​de Argentina

97. San Gabriel Arcángel: A Mission that Launched Cities
97. San Gabriel Arcángel: Una Misión Que Lanzó Ciudades

98. El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Ángeles:
Hispanics had to be imported

98. El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Ángeles:
Hispanos tuvieron que sen importados


99. La Plaza de Cultura y Artes:
A Walk through Mexican-American History

99. La Plaza de Cultura y Artes:
Un Paseo por la historia 
​mexicoamericana


100. Strolling the Hispanic Walk of Fame
​100. Caminando por el Paseo Hispano de la Fama

101. San Fernando Rey de España Teaches
California's Colonial History

101. ​​San Fernando Rey de España Enseña
la historia colonial de California


​102. Mission San Buenaventura Survived Earthquakes and Pirates
102. Misión San Buenaventura Sobrevivió Terremotos y Piratas

​103. Father Serra Cross: On a hill,
​overlooking ​the land he shepherded

​103. La Cruz del Padre Serra: En una colina,
​con vistas a la tierra que pastoreaba


104. The Birthplace of Santa Barbara
104. El Lugar de Nacimiento de Santa Barbara

105. The Queen of the Spanish Missions
105. La Reina de las Misiones Españolas

106. Mission Santa Ines: Built to relieve other overcrowded missions
106. Misión Santa Inés: Construida para aliviar otras misiones superpobladas

107. Mission La Purísima Concepcion:
​Going back in time ​to Spanish California

107. Mision La Purísima Concepción:
Retrocediendo en ​el tiempo a la California española


XXX. Saluting an exile: ​Father Félix Varela
XXX. The Meaning of 'Sotomayor'
SPECIAL SECTIONS
• Great (pro-Hispanic) Americans
​
• 16th Century in the Hispanic American History Timeline
• 17th Century in the Hispanic American History Timeline
• 18th Century in the Hispanic American History Timeline
​
• Spanish-American expeditions before Jamestown
• NYC ​Hispanic Landmarks
• NYC Hispanic Art
• Do You Know/Sabes?
• Garita Art
​
• Do You Speak Spanglish?
HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORY TIMELINE
​1513 Ponce de Leon Discovers North America, Names Her 'Florida'

April 22, 1513 ​Alaminos discovers the Gulf Stream

1517 De Cordoba, wounded in Yucatan, stops in Florida

1518 Grijalva Reaches Galveston Island

1519 De Pineda confirms Florida ​is not an island​

1521 Ponce de Leon Returns to Florida, Falls Mortally Wounded

1524-25 Estevan Gomez Explores North America's East Coast

1526 Ayllón lands in S.C., settles in Georgia


1528 Narváez expedition succumbs to storms and natives

1528-36 Cabeza de Vaca treks across North America

1537-42 Cabeza de Vaca Returns to Spain, Writes 'La Relación'

1539 De Niza Searches for Golden Cities of Cibola
​

1539-42 De Soto celebrates first American Christmas

1540 Hernando de Alarcon Reaches California

1540-42 Coronado Explores the Southwest,
Cardenas Discovers ​the Grand Canyon


1542-43  ​Cabrillo explores California coast​

1559 De Luna Builds Santa Maria de Ochuse​


1565 Pedro Menendez de Avilés Establishes San Agustin

1566 Santa Elena Built in South Carolina

1598 ​Juan de Oñate Explores New Mexico

1602 Sebastian Vizcaino ​explores the West Coast

1610 Pedro de Peralta establishes Santa Fe

1610-26 The Birth of San Miguel, oldest church in the U.S.A.

1613 Juan Rodriguez becomes the first Manhattan immigrant

1633 Misión San Luis de Apalachee is born in Tallahassee

​1682 San Antonio de la Ysleta becomes first mission in Texas

1691 Father Eusebio Kino builds Tumacácori and Guevavi

1692 ​Father Kino builds San Xavier del Bac 

1692 Diego de Vargas leads ​'Bloodless Reconquest" of Santa Fe

1695 Castillo de San Marcos ​Completed in St. Augustine

1718 Mission San Antonio de Valero is born
​- long before it became The Alamo
​

1738 Runaway slaves establish Fort Mose,
​the first free African-American community​


​1738 Francisco Menendez Leads Fort Mose

1742 Spanish Soldiers ​Open Fort Matanzas

1752 Spanish Soldiers Build Presidio de Tubac

1763 Spanish Florida Goes to England

1765 Juan Antonio Maria de Rivera ​explores ​Colorado and Utah
​
1769 
Father Serra opens ​San Diego de Alcalá,
California's first ​Spanish mission


1771 Father Serra establishes San Gabriel Arcángel

1772 Good hunting determines site
​of ​Misión San Luis Obispo de Tolosa


1775 Captain Hugh O’Connor
​builds Presidio San Agustin del Tucson


​1776-83 Hispanics in the American Revolution

1776 The Birth of San Francisco

1781 Spanish troops defeat the British, capture Pensacola

1781 Pobladores of Los Angeles are imported

1791 ​Alessandro Malaspina Alaska Reaches Alaska

1797 Fermín Francisco de Lasuén
Establishes Misión San Fernando Rey de España


1797 The Birth of Villa de Branciforte
So what do you think? / ™Entonces, qué piensas?
Please join our dialogue on Facebook / Por favor únete a nuestro diálogo en Facebook

Herencia Hispana Oculta de America:
La Lista de Lugares, Ideas, y Evidencia Historica para Reconectár a los Americanos con sus Raíces Hispanas

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America's Hidden Hispanic Heritage:
The Bucket List of Places, Ideas and Historical Evidence to Reconnect Americans with their  Hispanic Roots
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  • Timeline/16th Century
    • Timeline 1513 - Juan Ponce de Leon Discovers North America, Names Her 'La Florida'
    • Timeline 1513 - The First African-American ​Was a Spanish Conquistador!
    • Timeline April 22, 1513 ​Alaminos discovers the Gulf Stream
    • Timeline 1517 - De Cordoba, wounded in Yucatan, stops in Florida
    • Timeline 1518 - Grijalva Reaches Galveston Island
    • Timeline 1519 - De Pineda confirms Florida ​is not an island
    • Timeline 1521 - Juan Ponce de Leon Returns to Florida, Falls Mortally Wounded
    • Timeline 1524-25 - Estevan Gomez Explores the East Coast
    • Timeline 1526 - Ayllón lands in S.C., settles in Georgia
    • Timeline 1528 - Narváez expedition succumbs to storms and natives
    • Timeline 1528-36 - Cabeza de Vaca treks across North America
    • Timeline 1537-42 - Cabeza de Vaca Returns to Spain, Writes 'La Relacion'
    • Timeline 1539 - De Niza Searches for Golden Cities of Cibola
    • Timeline 1539-42 - De Soto celebrates first American Christmas
    • Timeline 1540 - Hernando de Alarcon ​Reaches California
    • Timeline 1540-42 - Coronado Explores the Southwest, Cardenas Discovers the Grand Canyon
    • Timeline 1542-43 - ​Cabrillo explores California coast
    • Timeline 1559 - De Luna Builds Santa Maria de Ochuse
    • Timeline 1565 - Pedro Menendez de Aviles establishes St. Augustine
    • Timeline 1566 - Santa Elena and Beyond
    • Timeline 1598 - Juan de Oñate - New Mexico
  • Timeline/17th Century
    • Timeline 1602 - Sebastian Vizcaino Explores the West Coast
    • Timeline 1610 - Pedro de Peralta Establishes Santa Fe
    • Timeline 1610-26 - San Miguel, oldest church on the U.S. mainland
    • Timeline 1613 - Juan Rodriguez - First NY Immigrant
    • Timeline 1633 - Misión San Luis de Apalachee
    • Timeline 1682 - San Antonio de la Ysleta del Sur
    • Timeline 1691 - Father Eusebio Kino - Tumacácori and Guevavi
    • Timeline 1692 - Father Eusebio Kino - San Xavier del Bac ​
    • Timeline 1692 - Diego de Vargas - Santa Fe
    • Timeline 1695 - Castillo de San Marcos
  • Timeline/18th Century
    • Timeline 1718 - Mision San Antonio de Valero - The Alamo
    • Timeline 1738 - Runaway slaves establish Fort Mose, the first free African-American community​
    • Timeline 1738 - Francisco Menendez Leads Fort Mose
    • Timeline 1742 - Spanish Soldiers Open Fort Matanzas
    • Timeline 1752 - San Ignacio de Tubac
    • Timeline 1763 - Spanish Florida Goes to England
    • Timeline 1765 - Juan Antonio Maria de Rivera ​- Colorado and Utah
    • Timeline 1769 - Father Serra Opens San Diego de Alcalá, ​California's first Spanish mission
    • Timeline 1771 - ​Father Serra establishes San Gabriel Arcángel
    • Timeline 1772 - Good hunting determines site of Mision San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
    • Timeline 1775 - Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón - Captain Hugh O’ Connor
    • Timeline 1776-83 - Hispanics in the American Revolution
    • Timeline 1776 - The Birth of San Francisco de Asis
    • Timeline 1781 - Spanish troops defeat the British, capture Pensacola
    • Timeline 1781 - Pobladores of Los Angeles are imported
    • Timeline 1791 - Alessandro Malaspina - Alaska
    • Timeline 1797 - The Birth of Villa de Branciforte
    • Timeline 1797 - Fermín Francisco de Lasuén Establishes Misión San Fernando Rey de España
  • Explorando Nuevo Mexico
  • 22. Historia, fe, cultura y orgullo en exhibición en las fiestas hispanas​
  • Exploring New Mexico
  • 22. History, faith, culture and pride on display ​in Hispanic fiestas