Prehistoric Peoples Of South Florida

This volume considers the cultural history of the real South Florida "old-timers" dating from 10,000 B.C. through the invasion by Europeans and analyzes the ways in which they adapted to their environment through time--or caused their environment to adapt to their needs.

The European explorers were the first to find the evidence of earlier civilizations who built monumental earthwork mounds, ceremonial complexes and cities in the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys. Speculations went wild about who built these incredible centers. This fascination over the mysterious mound building cultures continues to this very day.

"Ancient Miamians places a prehistoric face on a Miami that too often is regarded as a modern postscript to Flagler's railroad. McGoun paints 10,000 years of human history onto a missing piece of Florida archaeology."--Robert S. Carr, director, Dade County Historic Preservation Division "Presents widely scattered archaeological information in a novel and very accessible way. The literary device of 'a day in the life' is especially useful in bringing life to the standard archaeological facts."--James J. Miller, state archaeologist and chief, Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research, Division of Historical Resources Focusing on the Native Americans the Spanish called Tequesta and their ancestors, Ancient Miamians covers the 10,000 years from 8,000 B.C. to A.D. 1761, painting a vivid word portrait of a resident from each of six eras as they make tools, obtain food, deal with their fellow humans, and seek harmony with the forces that govern their lives. From first light to evening firelight, McGoun presents for the non-specialist a series of narratives depicting a single day in each of the lives of six typical men and women who once lived on the land around present-day Biscayne Bay. This concise and readable tale of the remarkable predecessors of Miami-Dade's current 2 million residents is the first such treatment of Florida's pre-European and early historic native people. Without violating archaeological fact, McGoun includes the major cultural periods and significant archaeological sites in the region, all in terms of day-to-day life rendered in engaging narrative. The story begins with the first settlers, who moved down the Florida peninsula more than 10 millennia ago, pursuing large animals that are now mostly extinct. It draws to a close with the 250 years that saw the Tequesta themselves become extinct, beginning with a time when "the English and their friends just won't take 'Go away' for an answer, and they become such pests that finally even the Spaniards look good, or at least better." Bibliographic summaries allow readers to extend the scope of their exploration beyond this fictionalized reconstruction of prehistoric culture. William E. McGoun is a longtime journalist and anthropologist.

"With this latest book, historian John Hann has completed his remarkable trifecta on Florida's Indians, adding South Florida to his previous UPF volumes on the Apalachees and Timucuans. Hann deftly weaves a diverse range of Spanish documentary sources into a comprehensive overview of the nonagricultural peoples of the southern Florida peninsula, providing readers with a wealth of much-needed information in a single volume. This book will instantly become required reading for anyone studying South Florida's indigenous peoples."--John Worth, Florida Museum of Natural History "Finally, a concise, authoritative, and exhaustively researched ethnohistorical synthesis of the native peoples of South Florida. This book presents important documentation on the culture, religion, and political organization of the aboriginal peoples of South Florida, including some of the most politically complex groups in all of North America. . . . A marvelous exposé of Florida's lost natives and how they lived and interacted with each other and the Spanish, ultimately leading to their demise and extinction."--Randolph J. Widmer, University of Houston John Hann, a preeminent authority and prize-winning author of books on Florida's native peoples, offers here the first survey available of Indians of the peninsula south of Timucua and Apalachee territory, from their earliest contact with Europeans to their disappearance in the 18th century. The book will have broad appeal for residents of South Florida interested in learning about the Indians and colonial history of the areas in which they live and will be of specific interest to historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists. Hann discusses the peoples who occupied an area south of a line drawn roughly from the mouth of the Withlacoochee River eastward to Turtle Mound, located a little north of Cape Canaveral. He focuses on the Calusa of the southwest coast, the people of the Tampa Bay region, and the Surruque and Ais and their kin of the east coast from Turtle Mound southward through the Keys, as well as their hinterland kin from the St. Johns through the Kissimmee valleys. Using original unpublished sources that are virtually unknown to most anthropologists and archaeologists, Hann examines documents from the first periods of contact in North America. He also analyzes archaeological investigations from the last quarter century, particularly those involving the Calusa and the Tequesta living at the mouth of the Miami River. Common features among these people, he concludes, are the almost total absence of agriculture in their lives and their slight, episodic contact with Spaniards. Hann offers new insights on subjects such as the marriages and political alliances of chiefs, and his topics range from beverages and household utensils to ceremonial items, musical instruments, and fishing techniques and tools. He also presents an unparalleled compilation of information on indigenous Native American belief systems. This important work will be significant for understanding aboriginal culture not only of Florida but North America in general. John H. Hann, historian at the San Luis Archaeological and Historic Site in Tallahassee, is a member of the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Archaeological Research. He is the author, coauthor, or translator of many books on the native peoples of Florida, including The Apalachee Indians and Mission San Luis (with Bonnie McEwan, UPF, 1998) and Hernando de Soto among the Apalachee: The Archaeology of the First Winter Encampment (with Charles R. Ewen, UPF, 1998).

The history of the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes dates back to the 1500s, when most of Florida as well as much of the United States was uninhabited. During the early 19th century, the tribes moved into the South Florida interior, living on remote tree islands throughout the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. These self-reliant people kept mostly to themselves. Their struggles have included disease, poverty, relocation, and three wars with the U.S. Army. Nevertheless, these resilient tribes survived and have become a vital part of the country's history and a unique and highly popular feature of South Florida tourism. Today, these tribes are busy creating economic opportunity for members, preserving their heritage and culture, and protecting their homeland. The powerful and engaging story of these remarkable people is brought to life in Images of America: Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes of Southern Florida. Captivating images from the Seminole / Miccosukee Photographic Archive highlight and preserve their story for future generations. Readers will appreciate this up-close and personal look at their way of life. The descendants of famed Native Americans such as Osceola, Jumper, Micanopy, and Sam Jones are seen in this distinct photo perspective working, resting, playing, and celebrating their customs.

This comprehensive look at the first humans in Florida combines contemporary archaeology, the writings of early European explorers, and experiments to present a vivid history of the state's original inhabitants. Includes a photographic atlas of projectile points and pottery types as well as typical plant and animal remains uncovered at Florida archaeological sites. The author replicated many primitive technologies during the writing of this book. He fashioned a prehistoric tool kit from stone, wood, bone, and shell, then used the implements to carve wood, twist palm fiber into twine and rope, make and decorate pottery, and weave fabric. The book shows detailed photos of these processes. 16-page color insert, 360 b&w photos, 159 line drawings

The life of the indigenous peoples of Florida from prehistoric times to 1845.

Prehistoric Florida societies, particularly those of the peninsula, have been largely ignored or given only minor consideration in overviews of the Mississippian southeast (A.D. 1000-1600). This groundbreaking volume lifts the veil of uniformity frequently draped over these regions in the literature, providing the first comprehensive examination of Mississippi-period archaeology in the state. Featuring contributions from some of the most prominent researchers in the field, this collection describes and synthesizes the latest data from excavations throughout Florida. In doing so, it reveals a diverse and vibrant collection of cleared-field maize farmers, part-time gardeners, hunter-gatherers, and coastal and riverine fisher/shellfish collectors who formed a distinctive part of the Mississippian southeast.

Prior to white men staking claim to all land in continental North America, large numbers of Native Americans lived in relative peace throughout the land. The Seminole Indian Tribe was quite small when the Civil War began, but when white men decided they wanted all of Florida, Indians saw an evil cloud forming in the sky. Soon, groups of different tribes were mixed and forced to head west on foot as Union Soldiers herded them from houseback. Mixing tribes was an act of stupidity, but splitting families and sending mother and some of the children one-way / father and children another, was an act of cruelty and hatred toward warriors they could not beat who fought so fiercely for their homeland. Few knew the difference between a Cherokee and a Seminole. A small group of Seminole warriors gathered their families and headed south toward the Everglades; a natural phenomenon-a moving river of grass that exists nowhere else on Planet Earth. They learned to exist in that hostile land and soon became comfortable. After three Seminole Wars they remain free and undefeated today, because white men whether soldier or civilian had never been able to defeat the Seminoles. They settled with the government for land they can use and money to repair damage. Once again, white men began heading for South Florida, but they were an honorable group looking for the same thing the Seminoles fought to the death for-a piece of land to live on and call Home. You will meet rugged dawn-to-dark cowboys in a hostile land that became the main beef source in America for decades until Texas took the lead. Everglades City and Chokoloskee has a fair share of pioneer kin that know how lucky they are to still be living in a paradise that pioneer's built.