What were early explorations of Aruba?
Aruba became part of the New World in August 1499. Alonso de Ojeda [c. 1466-1515] came across the island while exploring nearby Venezuela. Ojeda was accompanied by Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci [March 9, 1454-February 22, 1512] and Spanish cartographer Juan de la Cosa [c. 1460-1509]. The story is told that the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda gave the name of Oro Hubo ['gold there'] to the island of Aruba in 1499. Spain never found Aruba's gold but colonized the strategic island for almost 140 years.