Historical Context

Those who survived 'The Starving Time' had no time to celebrate as new visitors and challenges threatened the new colony of Jamestown.  More on George Percy: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_PercyGeorge Percy photo courtesy of: Herbert Luther Smith More on Thomas West: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_West,_3rd_Baron_De_La_WarrThomas West photo courtesy of: http://www.tudorplace.c...

With new leadership, the colonists hoped for change.  In the second episode of the Jamestown colony, the colonists get ready for winter after a famine hits the colony.  Unfortunately, just as it seems their luck changes, tragedy strikes.   More on John Ratcliffe: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ratcliffe_(governor) More on Matthew Scrivener: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt...

The Jamestown colony gets its start.  In this episode, we discuss the circumstances surrounding the decision to colonize America and the challenges faced by those colonists.   Read more about Bartholomew Gosnold: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Gosnold Read Gosnold’s account of New England: http://www.virtualjamestown.org/exist/cocoon/jamestown/fha/J1005 Read more on Captain Jo...

While people think of Jamestown as the first successful colony, little do many know that New Mexico was founded earlier.  In this episode, we explore New Mexico's accidental and controversial founding.    Read the inspector’s report of Onate’s forces: https://www.americanjourneys.org/pdf/AJ-101.pdf  Read the report on the Trial of the Acoma Pueblo: https://www.americanjourneys....

While many people are familiar with the Lost Colony of Roanoke, little did anyone know that there were actually three distinct groups of colonists on the island at three separate times, each creating their own mystery.  While some mysteries were explained, some remain unsolved.   Sir Richard Grenville image By anonymous  Missing Colony image by https://www.flickr.com/photos/internet...

With the death of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Walter Raleigh purchases his exploration and colonization patent.  Raleigh wants to colonize right away, but does not know where to start.  In this episode, Raleigh sends two captains to America to find the suitable location for England's first colony.   Walter Raleigh image By Simon van de Passe  Pamlico Sound image courtesy of: http...

The British were late to the game when it came to colonizing America.  They also had the wrong man.  In this episode, we discuss Sir Humphrey Gilbert, his challenges getting to America, and the lengths he went to finance his final voyage.  More on Edward VI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VI_of_England#Illness_and_death Edward VI portrait By Circle of William Scrots - Sotheby&...

Many people believe the British were the first Europeans to settle in Virginia when they founded Jamestown, but nearly four decades earlier, there were other Europeans there.  The Ajacan Mission was a part of Spain's efforts to convert natives to Catholicism and subsequently ally with them in their colonial efforts.  In today's episode, we find out why the Ajacan Mission did not succeed....

Unlike his predecessors, Pedro Menendez  changed the policy of 'war and conquer' when encountering natives.  While not absent from conflict, Menendez made peace and relationships a priority in encountering the Florida and southeast US coastline natives.  The contribution of Pedro Menendez led to dozens of Jesuit missions being founded in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida in the 1...

In this episode, we examine the Spanish version of last week's episode and look at how the Spanish began to finally get a hold on Florida after five decades of failure.   Buy “Pedro Menendez de Aviles and the Conquest of Florida: A New Manuscript here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813068428/ Special Thank you to: David Arbesu  Menendez Photo by: Francisco de Paula Marti   Fife...

Nearly five decades before the Jamestown colony, the French Huguenots sought America as a destination to escape religious persecution and the War of Religions in France.  The French attempted two colonies in the 1560s and some writings survived to tell the story.   Francis I painting by Jean Clouet  Henry II painting by Francois Clouet  Francis II painting by By François Clouet...

While many associate Sir Francis Drake with the first exploration of the California coastline, Juan Cabrillo actually led an expedition here decades earlier.  What did he find and what did he hear that raised speculation that he may not have been the first European in the region? Cabrillo Image: By Unknown author - Unknown source, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=...

The Coronado Expedition concludes as members of the expedition continues to listen to the direction of the captive native towards a city of riches.  As strife with the natives continues, will Coronado survive the expedition and draw any value for the Spanish Empire?   Coronado Image Courtesy of: https://hidalgosenlahistoria.blogspot.com/2018/02/francisco-vazquez-de-coronado.html  Re...

De Soto was not the only explorer who was intrigued by Cabeza de Vaca's travels.  Francisco de Coronado was interested in the American southwest based on Cabeza de Vaca's travels.  Before forming an expedition, he sent a friar and a Moroccan to explore the area.  Based on that journey, Coronado would amass a large group of Spaniards and natives to seek treasure.   Coronado Imag...

In the conclusion of the de Soto expedition series, we begin with the burning down of the winter encampment after an attack by the local natives.  What changes does de Soto make to prepare his men for the next leg of the journey?  What similarities and differences can we draw upon this expedition versus the Narvaez expedition?  Did de Soto leave a lasting impression on the American...

De Soto ends up in Apalache, the same tribal village at the Narvaez expedition did a dozen years ago.  Instead of going west over water, De Soto goes north over land and continues into the Piedmont Plateau in Georgia.  For the first time, the natives in these regions are exposed to Europeans and we get a glimpse of what may be a differentiating factor in the difference in energy between...

Nearly seven decades before the settlement at Jamestown was founded, Hernando de Soto led an expedition through the American southeast, visiting locations that comprise of almost every modern American southeast state.  De Soto's expedition was told best by an unnamed Portuguese sailor who wrote about the expedition.  The treatment of the natives by de Soto was consistent, but the conditi...

The expedition concludes with Cabeza de Vaca and the few European survivors on foot in modern day Texas and Mexico.  Cabeza de Vaca learns what happened to Narvaez and another barge while on his journey.  He also becomes the first European to lay eyes on the wildlife on the southern Great Plains.  How does the expedition end?   Cabeza de Vaca image courtesy of: https://www.lege...

The expedition continues from inland of Galveston Island, where Cabeza de Vaca and his men are stranded with a village of natives.  In this episode, we learn about some native customs and see that Cabeza de Vaca has an opportunity to assimilate with their culture.  What does Cabeza de Vaca decide?   Cabeza de Vaca image courtesy of: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/alvar-nunez-cabez...

The expedition continues as Narvaez and his remaining 250 men, including Cabeza de Vaca leave the Florida coastline and head west.  As a water shortage threatens the crews' lives, desperate measures are taken to avoid dehydration and these decision lead to more deaths.  How far will the expedition go? Will the natives be friendly or hostile? Now that the Florida terrain is behind them, w...

With the Apalachen village in sight, the Narvaez Expedition journey resumes.  Like in the first episode, the expedition must navigate through multiple challenges and setbacks, ultimately leading to them being stranded on the Florida coastline.  How do they get off the coastline and how many men are lost in this episode?   Cabeza de Vaca image courtesy of: https://www.legendsofameric...

In what reads more like a 16th century version of Homer's "The Odyssey," our next story is so vast and intriguing that it will take several weeks to tell.  Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was a member of the ill-fated Narvaez Expedition.  The expedition was tasked with colonizing Florida.  To put it mildly, the start of the expedition lays out several omens for future episodes.   Ca...

Verrazzano was an Italian explorer, who in 1524, set sail on behalf of France to try and find a seaway to the Far East.  He was set to look in between Florida and Newfoundland for a route.  While Verrazzano was the first documented European to set eyes on Manhattan, his interactions with the natives of the coastline are quite fascinating.  Nearly a full century before the first Than...

Juan Ponce de Leon was a member of the Second Columbus Voyage.  As the star of Columbus faded, Ponce de Leon grew in the favor of the Spanish crown and those in Hispaniola.  He was the first Governor of Puerto Rico, but was disposed after a lengthy court battle.  With nothing else to do, Ponce de Leon was encouraged to the explore land north and west of Puerto Rico.  Would Juan...

John Cabot was the first European to land on the North American continent and quite possibly explore the east coast of the United States.  Little is known about Cabot because unlike Columbus, he did not seem to be a writer.  Yet, documentation does exist from the era that verifies Cabot's voyages and likely leaves us with more questions than answers.    More on John Cabot: http...