Early Spanish Influence and Unexpected Discoveries
The documentary’s revelation of the depth of Spanish colonization and its impact in Florida and the Southeast of the United States surprised me the most. I was taught in elementary school that the English colonized the East Coast and that Jamestown was the first long-term English settlement in the country. A century or more before Jamestown was created, the video uncovers that Spain had already established colonies in Florida and the Southeastern America.
The fact that the Spaniards not only founded towns but also developed connections with Native American tribes, some of which joined them in conflict with other tribes and European powers, was a surprise. The amount of Spanish influence on the culture and economy of the Southeast United States, including the introduction of horses, cattle, and other livestock, as well as the development of trading networks with indigenous peoples, was also a surprise.
Racial Diversity in Early Spanish Colonies
According to the documentary, America’s early European settlers were a racial melting pot, which, contrary to popular belief, was more like the populace of today. Several specifics and information in the video back up this statement, including:
- Spain, Africa, and the Canary Islands were just a few of the places the Spanish settled.
- A mixed-race population resulted from the intermarriage of many Spanish settlers and Native People.
- Enslaved Africans were also sent to the Spanish colonies; some of them managed to liberate themselves and acquire land.
This statement is accurate because it highlights the diversity of early European settlers in the US, which is often overlooked in conventional history books. The melting pot of races in the Spanish colonies laid the foundation for the multicultural society America is today.
Early Spanish settlements saw racial mixing as a result of intermarriage between Indian, European, and African populations. The Spanish population is heterogeneous because they generally accepted marriages more than other European powers. Depending on their status, African slaves received varying levels of treatment; some even managed to free themselves and acquire land.
There was more social mobility for individuals of color because the Spanish did not practice racial segregation as the English colonies did. While the Spanish in Florida owned slaves, they were frequently treated better than in the English colonies. In Florida, enslaved people could marry, own property, and occasionally purchase their own freedom.
The Spanish also employed a system known as “coartación,” in which slaves could either pay for their freedom up front or work for a specified period and eventually earn it. The English colonies, on the other hand, mainly relied on chattel slavery and viewed slaves as property without any legal protections. Overall, the difficulties of Spanish colonialism had a profoundly negative impact on Indian settlement. This primarily concerned how individuals were mistreated and treated unfairly. On the other side, they brought with them the essential technology that enabled the advancement of agriculture and decreased the need for human labor in crop cultivation, planting, and harvesting.
Challenging the Jamestown Narrative
By exposing the Spanish villages that existed before Jamestown, the video casts doubt on the claim that it was the first European/American settlement in the country. Because it was a multiethnic town that included Spanish, African, and indigenous people, the establishment of St. Augustine in 1565 is notable. This information would have provided students with a more accurate and nuanced understanding of early US history if it had been included in their history classes.
Moreover, it would have highlighted the diversity of the early settlements and refuted the claim that only English colonists were responsible for founding the US. The video challenges the conventional wisdom that Jamestown was the first European settlement in America and offers a fresh perspective on the early history of the United States.
This information would have highlighted the contributions of Spanish and other non-English settlers, providing students with a more complex and varied perspective on the country’s roots. It also emphasizes the importance of revisiting and broadening our historical narratives to include previously ignored or underrepresented viewpoints.
Reference List
PBS. (2017). Secrets of Spanish Florida [Video]. PBS.