Castillo de San Marcos

Castillo de San MarcosVirtual Field TripBy Jennifer Frost, South McKeel Academy

Welcome to your virtual tour of historic Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, FL.1

What is the Castillo de San Marcos?

The castillo is the oldest masonry, and only existing 17th century fort in North America. 2Coquina

It was built in 1672 out of a form of limestone called coquina, or tiny clam shells found on northeast Florida beaches. 3History of the Landmark

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The Castillo de San Marcos was originally constructed to defend Florida against pirates hunting the Spanish treasure fleets traveling along the Gulf Stream. It took Cuban and Native American workers 23 years to build, and cost Spain over a quarter of a million pesos.

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This fort is much different than the 9 previous wooden forts built to protect St. Augustine why? The secret lies in the design and building materials. The forts unique star design originated in Italy and helps to withstand or avoid the impact of cannon projectiles, as well as effectively mount cannons to repel any attackers. Along with its star design, the Castillo de San Marcos also has 4 bastions, each named for a saint.

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In addition, the Castillo has another advantage the use of coquina. Coquina contains millions of microscopic air pockets, which makes it compressible. The Spanish soon found that cannon balls fired at the walls of the Castillo burrowed their way into the rock and stuck there, instead of breaking apart the forts walls.8

Since its construction over 340 years ago, the Castillo has withstood several attacks as well as hurricanes. However, control of the fort has only changed through treaty. You may have heard the Castillo referred to as Fort St. Mark or Fort Marion, depending on who had control of the territory during a certain time period. Over the years, the fort has been used as a prison, a warehouse, and military barracks.9Things to See at the Fort

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Inside of the FortViews of Castillo de San Marcos from different points11Chapel

Chapel in Castillo de San Marcos12

Cannons at Castillo de San Marcos13Timeline of Events

There are many reasons why Castillo de San Marcos is important, so lets make a timeline of the forts most significant events.14

Prior to the construction of the fort, two events influenced Spain to build the fort. In 1668, pirate Robert Searles attacked St. Augustine. The Spanish feared he might return with more men and turn St. Augustine into a pirate camp to attack Spanish treasure ships.Another influential event was the establishment of Charleston, South Carolina in 1670. The Spanish felt the English were now much too close for comfort.15

In 1702, only seven years after the fort was complete, a Spanish commander got word of an impending attack from English soldiers. He ordered harvest, livestock, months worth of supplies, and St. Augustines 1500 people to gather into the Castillo. The English attacked in November and the siege lasted for two months.

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In 1740, the British general, Oglethorpe, bombarded the Castillo with cannon fire for 27 days.

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In 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War and gave the British control of the fort. While St. Augustine was the capital of Britains colony East Florida, the Castillo was used as a supply base and a prisoner of war camp for captured rebels. Among these rebels were three of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, including Thomas Heyward, Jr., Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutledge.

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In 1819, Spain signed the Adams-Onis Treaty which gave Florida to the United States. The fort became a United States Army base which was renamed Fort Marion, in honor of American Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion.

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In 1861 it became a Confederate post during the Civil War. In the years after the Civil War, the fort was used as a prison for Native Americans who resisted the westward expansion of the United States.

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Finally, in 1924 Castillo de San Marcos was declared a National Monument. I hope youve enjoyed your virtual tour of Castillo de San Marcos. To learn more, please visit the National Park Systems website at www.nps.gov or why not visit the castillo yourself?

21Sources:Credits for photos: http://otheplacesyouwillgo.wordpress.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcoshttp://www.kidsmaps.com/geography/North+America/Topographic/Coast+of+North+Americahttp://www.uwec.edu/Geography/Ivogeler/w188/south/st.augustine/photos/staugustine-map2.jpghttp://travel.webshots.com/photo/1074884971029250228QMKXHphttp://www.augustine.com/history/castillo/castillo11.php Sources:22Sources:Information credits: www.nps.gov/casa National Park website for Castillo de San Marcoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos http://civilwarflorida.blogspot.com/2008/02/castillo-de-san-marcos-st-augustine.html http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html

Standards:SS.5.A.1.2: Utilize timelines to identify and discuss American History time periods.SS.5.A.1.1: Use primary and secondary sources to understand history.SS.4.A.5.1: Describe Florida's involvement in the Civil War.LACC.5.SL.1.2: Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.LACC.5.SL.1.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.Standards: SS.5.A.1.2: Utilize timelines to identify and discuss American History time periods.SS.5.A.1.1: Use primary and secondary sources to understand history.SS.4.A.5.1: Describe Florida's involvement in the Civil War.LACC.5.SL.1.2: Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.LACC.5.SL.1.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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