Discovering America Podcast

With all the planning that went into this quest to colonize Florida, hard work was still ahead of the Luna party. Mother Nature put a huge damper on their progress; it was now, survival mode.

Luna would have his hands full sailing off in 13 ships to the coast of Florida with over 1500 people and 140 horses aboard. A voyage this size took careful planning. The Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico) Luis de Velasco and King Phillip of Spain were eager to establish a foothold in la Florida. Once this was complete an overland route could be established to Santa Elena on the eastern coast of North A...

The Spanish explored the states of the Carolinas and Tennessee. Juan Pedro and his company would build and man many forts along the way, although they didn't last long. The Indian villages that existed near these forts were expected to supply the Spaniards with food. Is there anything on the menu other than maize?

The Spanish were trying to keep what was theirs, not an easy task. Pedro would start off from the eastern coast of North America and rediscover the lands that Ferdinand de Soto explored 25 years earlier. The Indians were nice enough to supply the food that the Spaniards needed every step of the way but, where is the shiny stuff?

Ribault acted hastily against the Spanish and it didn't help that his fleet encountered a storm that destroyed them.  The Spanish would eliminate the French from America for the time being. But in the wake of this atrocity against the French Dominique de Gourgues would gather ships and men together to save the grace of France. Forgive and forget not this time.

After the clashing of swords stopped it was time to sail west but this time it would be to establish a colony for the sake of religion.  Admiral de Coligny would choose Jean Ribaut to command and establish a French Protestant (Huguenots) colony on the land called Florida. The Spanish would not take kindly to this "invasion". The Spanish commander Pedro Menendez would have the last word and not at...

With the war between France and Spain finally over, five years had passed since his last voyage. The Indians he had promised to return to their homeland within twelve moons had all passed away except a 12 year old girl who was now their interpreter. The king put Sieur de Roberval in charge of this third voyage but, he wasn't ready to sail. So Cartier sailed off with five ships on May 23, 1541. Aft...

Cartier and his small band of men made their way to the village of Hochelaga and received a wonderful welcome. The Indians insisted that they should climb to the top of Mount Royal and see something they were very proud of, the Frenchmen accommodated the request. What they saw below was the flowing fields of corn and the Indian village of Hochelaga, a place that would become the site of Montreal,...

Supported by the excited King of France, Cartier would sail for another go of it, looking for that northwest passage.  Among the three ships would be the two Indian interpreters, Taignoagny and Domagaya taken from their village on the first voyage. The group would arrive at the Indian village of Stadacrone. From here the French desired to sail to the village of Hochelaga. The chief Donnacona of St...

Happy Holidays to you and see you next year with more of the Discovering America podcast

In two ships and 60 men, a Frenchman from St. Malo, Jacques Cartier sails west to the fishing grounds searching for the western passage.  Along the way he meets up with friendly natives, walruses and polar bears.   The first voyage would pass through the Strait of Belle Isle, along the southern coast of Newfoundland and hit varies points and capes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  The weather would be...

John Rut's early voyages were picking up wine for the King of England at Bordeaux.  In 1527 with Rut in command, two ships, the Mary Guildford and the Samson headed for the coast of Newfoundland.  The Samson and all aboard would be lost in a storm.  The Mary Guildford later entered a good harbor called St. Johns where several fishing vessels from different countries were present.  Soon after an En...

The season was starting to change from here on out they experienced rough weather.  Finally the ships arrived back at the islands they named San Lucas.  Winter quarters would be set up on the island of La Posesion, later renamed to Juan Rodriquez after the death of Cabrillo.  The voyage would continue and give a glimpse of the western coast of North America so that others could follow.

Starting with a little background history concerning the exploits on pacific side of Mexico to the bottom part of California, this episode begins the voyage of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his two ships, the San Salvador and the Victoria, sailing off from the Puerto de Navidad on June 27, 1542.

Columbus thought he had discovered a passage to the orient and so the maps of the day showed his discoveries as islands.  It would be the voyage of Vespucci sailing down the eastern side of South America that would cause so much interest.  The map makers labeled the land we know as Brazil with the name "Mundus Novus" or "New World".  With the refinements of charts and maps the New World took on th...

The fourth voyage to the west did not turn out to be of any great importance. Being left behind by the captain, Vespucci and the men that remained would catch birds with their hands and build a fortress.  The fifth and sixth voyages of Vespucci were not intended to be expeditions of discovery, nope..  load those ships with gold and pearls.

This voyage would change how the world was viewed, Mundus Novus or "New World" but, who cares, where is that passage to the orient? If you would like to read the letters of Vespucci you can find them at: http://mith.umd.edu/eada/html/display.php?docs=vespucci_letters.xml

Three ships commanded by Juan de Ojeda along with the great pilot Juan de La Cosa and Amerigo Vespucci would sail off for parts unknown, well not quite.  Please join me for what is considered the second voyage of Vespucci.

How could I talk about the discovery of America without involving this man, Amerigo Vespucci?  His history relies so much on two letters written to a friend.  He mentions a book that would cover the accounts of his voyages, a book never written?  Or just never published and remains in someone's deep dark cellar?  You can find the letter describing his first voyage at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall...

Why should the Spanish have all the fun?  Other European Nations started exploring to the west to rediscover the lands in that direction.  The passage to the orient would be the prize.

The voyages by Ayllon, Gomez and Verrazzano made it possible to map, describe inhabitants and certain features along the eastern coast of the North America continent.  The Europeans now had a great basis of knowledge but, still no passage to the orient was discovered.

After setting up winter quarters, building the ships was the next priority.  O wait, maybe not, what about the Indian tribes massing an army preparing to attack the Spanish.  One tribe points the finger at another when all is said and done, the Spanish end up siding with Guachoya tribe.  With that complete all is well, not so fast, the Quigaltam tribe across the Mississippi will have the last word...

Moscoso is now the new commander of the expedition of Florida.  The journey west does not turn up any of the riches that this whole endeavor was supposed to accomplish.  Evidence to back up the rumor of other Spanish farther west was not found.  So to backtrack through the country just traveled seemed the best alternative.  Homeward bound..

The Spanish army is making their way through the state of Arkansas.  They will pass by many villages, not without conflict.  The army set up winter quarters in the village of Autiamque.  They would lose a vital member and soon after another.  The quest for gold is no longer, let's build some ships and go home.

The army is traveling along the Mississippi where he meets up with two chiefs Casqui and Pacaha.   The Spanish get caught up again with animosities between the two tribes.  De Soto is able to leave on friendly terms, the two tribes, I'm not so sure but, de Soto did his best to bring them together.  And the search for gold continues.