Monday, October 24, 2011

DeSoto National Monument

 On Friday post I showed you the fence, actually it is the fort wall that surrounds the encampment of huts made from palm fronds.
It boggles my mind that they were supposed to be Christians and planted crosses everywhere they went, but murdered and tortured as they followed their path through North America.
Hernando de Soto (1500?-1542)
Conquistador

Hernando Desoto was granted the rights to conquer Florida and was named governor of Cuba in 1537.
De Soto arrived here on the west coast of Florida on May 30, 1539 with 10 ships carrying over 600 soldiers, priests, and explorers.
They spent four years searching for gold and silver, exploring the area, and brutally mistreating native societies, including the Cherokees, Seminoles, Creeks, Appalachians, and Choctaws.
 excerpt from Enchanted Learning.


 I found nothing good to be said about this man.  He was a prime example of the brutality and savage nature of the sixteenth-century Europeans who invaded North America. He wreaked havoc from Cuba to Florida and up through Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and Mexico in his 42 years of life.
 The Museum and Park are part of our Historic Heritage and is listed on the National Historic Register

There are acres of beautiful wet lands and trails through the mangroves and along the Manatee river that leads into Tampa Bay, also called Spirit Bay because Desoto named it Espiritu Santo (Holy Spirit).
 Above and below a broom for sweeping out the fire pits, made from palm fronds
Tomorrow, I will show you how they used the palm fronds to build the hut below.

Click on any photo to see a slide show in larger sizes.

If you are interested in the history of the place, go to Floripedia for A History of Florida, DeSoto, Hernando

30 comments:

SquirrelQueen said...

The broom made from palm fronds is really neat. It is a good example of making do with what you have.

I remember studying about the early explorers in school but the atrocities they committed were passed over. It wasn't until later that I read the accounts of their brutality. Christians? Yeah, right!

Unknown said...

Great post.
But it was a shamefull time for man kind and christians.

LC said...

Sad history. there is a DeSoto National Forest less than an hour's drive north of the coast in our state.

diane b said...

An interesting historical sight. It still boggles my mind how Christians or any religious people can fight and cause human suffering.

TexWisGirl said...

such sad truths of history. we human beings are self-serving beings who can be incredibly cruel - even in the name of religion.

Marie said...

These are nice photos. The huts are really neat and so is the broom. No, nothing good to say about him.

George said...

You've gotten some beautiful pictures of this place associated with a tragic part of our history.

Susannah said...

I remember learning about DeSoto in school but did not ever realize how bad his deeds were. Sandy, your post is very interesting. Thank you.

Reena said...

Sad history ... but great pictures. Loving that parrot in the header!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Girl, thanks so much for the interestin' history lesson framed by your most beautiful pictures!!! Too bad history is filled with wicked men and their wicked deeds.

God bless ya and have an extraordinary day sweetie! :o)

Chatty Crone said...

Extremely interesting - gosh I remember studying history but there is so much you have to study fast - and as a kid - who likes all that - now I love it.

I didn't know all your history there.

Sandie

Remington said...

Some of the history is NOT good at all....but it is interesting to learn. Thanks for sharing!

Scott Law said...

Looks like you've been having a lot of fun again. Thanks for sharing. This is beautiful. I don't know what has happened on blogger, but my blog has disappeared for now. I'm working on trying to get it back and hopefully that will happen soon and I can start posting my images from my trip to New England. Meanwhile I'll just enjoy my blogger friends' posts.

Magia da Inês said...

°º♫
°º✿
º° ✿♥ ♫° ·.
Passei para uma visitinha.
Li o que você escreveu sobre a brutalidade do conquistador... no Brasil também foi a mesma coisa... os índios simplesmente foram exterminados pelas armas, pela gripe e pelo sarampo dos conquistadores... é realmente triste quando pensamos que eram seres humanos como nós.
Boa semana!
Beijos.
Brasil°º♫
°º✿
º° ✿♥ ♫° ·.

DawnTreader said...

How interesting. There are certainly some parts of history that are hard to 'digest' though...

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Very interesting history and photos! Beautiful and colorful header photo, too.

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

So we see behind the fence now! I do wonder how any Christians think they can murder??

penny said...

I love love your header, Sandra, Wow!
Shame is a big part of our American history ):

Anonymous said...

Great post! I pass Desoto signs all around my house so I guess he was rampaging thorugh here too : )

Dawning Inspiration said...

Wow - such great and interesting stuff!

Ann said...

Quite interesting and looks like a very cool place but how sad that someone could be so cruel

EG CameraGirl said...

Doesn't it make you wonder how the history we are making today will be viewed in other hundred years?

S. Etole said...

So much of history I'm not acquainted with.

Unknown said...

I got my eye on your blog. I love that header.

Rose said...

I am always amazed at how cruel people could be. And people that used to go see people hung--I often wonder what they were thinking.

Deb said...

a history lesson and great photos...I would like one of those huts in my back yard...

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

History went through a period of "bleakness", but that's the way it was.

I once as a child went to a missionary's house in Borneo, they had ceiling to floor drapes, and I was shocked.

Christine said...

I think you're right Sandra; the spanish explorers were a motley bunch where ever they went. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos!

Betty Manousos said...

incredible cruelty!

thanks for sharing this history lesson and the wonderful photo!

btw, i love your header.

Angela said...

Those sure are some very interesting looking huts! Too bad that man was a murderer like that. I've never heard of him.