Clash of Cultures Activity
OBJECTIVES
Students use the historical events in the Fort Caroline area to learn to read and interpret a timeline.
AGE
4th-6th grade
ENHANCES
SS.A.1.2.2, SS.A.1.2.3, SS.A.6.2.3
TIME AND PLACE
Classroom pre-visit activity, 20 minutes
WORKSHEET
Timetable pdf (101k)
This file must be viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download this program (free), click here.
BACKGROUND
In the mid 16th century, France was a vigorous, expansionist nation, with dreams of an empire. Spain, the worlds leading power, already had a foothold in the Americas and France wanted a share of the riches.
France was in the midst of a religious conflict between the Protestants (Huguenots) and the ruling Catholics. A powerful Huguenot, Gaspard de Coligny, made a proposal to the crown - establish a French Huguenot colony in North America.
In 1562, Jean Ribault led an exploratory expedition to the new world. He erected a monument at the River of May (St. Johns River) and headed north, where he placed another monument in the Port Royal Sound area claiming the land for France.
In 1564 the second expedition, this time led by René de Goulaine de Laudonnière (who had accompanied Ribault on the previous expedition) left France with 200 soldiers and artisans to establish a colony. They decided to build their fort on the St. Johns River's south bank near St. Johns Bluff. With the help of the Timucua Indians they built their village and fort naming it la Caroline (land of Charles) after their King, Charles IX.
Relations among the men and with the Indians soon deteriorated. A number of men deserted the colony and by the following spring the colonists were close to starvation. The remaining colonists were about to leave Florida in August of 1565 when they spotted sails on the horizon. Ribault had arrived with supplies and more soldiers and settlers.
In the meantime, the King of Spain, Philip II, had heard of the French settlement in Florida, which Spain had previously claimed for its own. He sent Admiral Pedro Menendez to rid Florida of the French. Menendez established a base to the south of Fort Caroline near present day St. Augustine. Ribault sailed south to engage the Spanish but his ships were scattered by a hurricane and wrecked far to the south. Seizing the opportunity, Menendez marched north with 500 soldiers to attack the colony. Early on the morning of September 20, his troops massacred 140 settlers, sparing only about 60 women and children. Forty to fifty others managed to escape and sailed back to France.
The French, including Ribault, who had been on the ships marched north along the beach until they reached an inlet they could not pass; here they were met by Menendez and his soldiers. Menendez, a Catholic, considered the French Protestants to be heretics and they were massacred unless they professed to be Catholic.
In April of 1568 the French enacted revenge when Dominique de Gourges attacked and burned the fort that the Spanish had taken over at Fort Caroline. Spain repaired the fort but finally abandoned the area one year later. France never again strongly challenged Spanish claims in North America.
SUGGESTED PROCEDURES
Review with students the history of the French and Spanish in the area. Have the students pick out the 5 events that they think are the most important from the timetable. Place these items on a timeline.
EVALUATION (questions from worksheet)
- Fort de la Caroline was established on June 30, 1564; St. Augustine was established on September 8, 1565
- Possible reasons for the men deserting are famine/hunger, discontent, not finding riches
- The four expeditions span six years, 1562-1568.
