Florida's Indians from Ancient Times to the Present

by Milanich, Jerald T.

• ISBN13: 9780813015996
• ISBN10: 0813015995
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-09-01
• Publisher: Univ Pr of Florida

Summary

Florida's Indians tells the story of the native societies that have lived in Florida for twelve millennia, from the early hunters at the end of the Ice Age to the modern Seminole, Miccosukee, and Creeks. When the first Indians arrived in what is now Florida, they wrested their livelihood from a land far different from the modern countryside, one that was cooler, drier, and almost twice the size. Thousands of years later European explorers encountered literally hundreds of different Indian groups living in every part of the state. (Today every Florida county contains an Indian archaeological site.) The arrival of colonists brought the native peoples a new world and great changes took place -- by the mid-1700s, through warfare, slave raids, and especially epidemics, the population was almost annihilated. Other Indians soon moved into the state, including Creeks from Georgia and Alabama, who were the ancestors of the modern Seminole and Miccosukee Indians. Written for a general audience, this book is lavishly illustrated with full-color drawings and photographs. It skillfully integrates the latest archaeological and historical information about the Sunshine State's Native Americans, connecting the past and present with modern place-names, and it gives a proud Indian heritage. voice to Florida's rich Indian heritage.

Table of Contents

Past and Present
Ancient Floridians	p. 1
Changes in the Land Bring New Lifeways	p. 20
St. Johns Culture of East and Central Florida	p. 38
Cultures of Northern Florida	p. 54
The Farmers	p. 73
Peninsular Gulf Coast	p. 93
Belle Glade, Glades, and Caloosahatchee Cultures	p. 112
The Invasion	p. 133
Spanish Missions and the Impact of Colonialism	p. 153
An End and a New Beginning	p. 171
For Further Reading and Research	p. 189
Illustration Credits	p. 193
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.