Born Into A Spanish Nobility, Juan Ponce De Leon ( 1460-1521 ) May Have Accompanied Christopher Columbus On His 1493 Voyage To The New World. A Decade Later, He Was Serving As Governor Of The Eastern Province Of Hispaniola When He Decided To Explore A Nearby Island, Which Became Puerto Rico. Basically Juan Ponce De Leon's Motivation To Explore Was So He Could Discover Something New...Which He Did...( Puerto Rico )