Native Americans in Florida

by Kevin M. McCarthy, Theodore Morris (Illustrator), Dean Quigley (Illustrator)

Long before the first European explorers set foot on Florida soil, numerous Native American tribes hunted, honored their gods, built burial mounds, and coexisted with one another in pockets of settlements across the state. This book explores the importance of archaeology in preserving the past for future generations, how archaeologists do their work, and even how young people can gain hands-on experience on a real dig. The different types of Indian mounds burial mounds, shell middens, and platform mounds and their uses are explained, as well as Indian languages and reservations. The authors provide detailed descriptions of 185 sites on the Native American Heritage Trail that mark important historical events, as well as a calendar of important dates that highlights the history, culture, setbacks, and successes of Florida's Native Americans.

200 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Professor of Linguistics at the University of Florida (1969-2005).

Reviews

[Cheryl Licata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nonfiction book is a great introduction to the Native Americans who prospered in Florida prior to the arrival of Europeans. It covers in 2 - 3 page segments the time periods from 10,000 BC through the 20th century AD. The book then explains the Florida tribes. The story of Florida's Pocahontas is included in this section. Suggestions for more sources are at the end of each section. Photographs and paintings are scattered throughout the pages. The last section of the book is a description of 185 sites in Florida associated with Native Americans and a map of their locations. Anyone ready for a field trip?

[Dean Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the major tribal groupings who inhabited the Florida landscape from earliest times. Basic, written as if for younger students, but a good resource for further study. Obviously a proponent for Native American independence and national self-realization, author indicates the points at which he views the intervention of Europeans as an imposition on indigenous people.