Field Trip - Old Florida Museum

Timucua Indian Educational Program Pre-European Florida-1565 The natives of North Florida were known as the Timucua Indians and their settlement in this area was called the Village of Seloy. These Native Americans were said to be a handsome people with most achieving an average height of 6 feet or more. They were hunters, gatherers, and farmers. The women took care of the home, children, and cooking while the men provided food and protection for the family. These Indians developed a way of life that enabled them to live and prosper in the world they lived in. Students experience pre-European life in old Florida. On Site Activities Dug out canoe making Jewelry making Native American games Indian tools Corn grinding Tattooing Gardening Face paint ---------------------------- Spanish Colonial - Fort Mose Educational Program 1565-1763 The Spanish settled St. Augustine on September 8, 1565. It was a military outpost that included three standing fortifications by the 1740’s. They were the Castillo de San Marcos on the east, Fort Matanzas to the south, and Fort Mose to the north. Word of freedom spread to the African-American slaves in the English colony of Carolina. The Spanish had decreed that freedom would be granted to any slave that reached the Spanish colony if they would convert to the Catholic religion. In 1738, Governor Manuel de Montiano established the new town Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, also known as Fort Mose, the first free black settlement in the Americas. These new soldiers posed a fierce line of defense as they would fight to the death to protect their freedom. Students sample a soldiers life in Spanish Florida, and learn how hard it was to start a new colony. On Site Activities Candle dipping Rope making Colonial games Corn grinding Woodworking Smashing shells for tabby Weaving Fence building ----------------------- "Florida Cracker" Pioneer Educational Program 1821-1900's In 1821, the United States bought Florida from Spain. Homesteading was encouraged by the government to develop the newly acquired territory. The rugged pioneers that settled the area were called "Florida Crackers." It is believed that they got this nickname because of the cracking sound their whips made as they herded cattle. In 1845 Florida became the 27th state of the Union. Students will learn to appreciate these modern times when participating in daily living activities from the pioneer area. On Site Activities Corn shelling and milling Writing with a quill pen Old time games Cotton combing Sugar cane grinding Plowing and planting seeds Using a pitcher pump Lasso station Sewing hornbook ---------------------- Archaeological Dig Educational Program Archaeology is the study of material remains of cultures. Archaeologists use what has been left behind by a particular culture – such as buildings, books and other writings, tools, and trash – to learn about that culture. These items are then used as clues to figure out how people lived in the past. Often, the only written record of history is made by people who are wealthy or part of the ruling class, if at all. The everyday life of common people can be easily lost. The study of archaeology attempts to fill in the gaps left in recorded history. On Site Activities Search for artifacts and ecofacts in a mock dig setup Sift through sand to find items Clean, measure, and categorize objects found Share and compare findings with the group