Tuesday, March 19, 2024

First Christmas in America May Have Been in Florida – Florida Travel Blog

The first Christmas in America was most likely held near Tallahassee, Florida in 1539. In that year Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto landed near Bradenton, Florida.

Hernando de Soto traveled with 9 ships. The ships carried craftsmen, engineers, farmers, and merchants; some with their families, some from Cuba, most from Europe and Africa.

Hernando de Soto

Hernando’s entourage included 12 catholic priests. A Christmas celebration would most probably have been a mass to celebrate the birth of Christ, one of the most important days in Catholicism.

Archaeologists have found the remains of a village, formerly occupied by the Apalachee Indians. In that village, researchers found remnants of Spanish explorers of the period. From the archeological finds, it appears de Soto forcibly took over the village and took advantage of the grains and vegetables the Apalachee had farmed.

While it is not clear what all occurred during several months of occupation by the Spaniards, it is known that there was constant conflict between the 600 plus men with de Soto until they left the Indian village in March of 1540.

What would they eat at the First Christmas?

Should the first Christmas in America have taken place, most likely pork, vegetables and grains would have been combined with seafood and wild game in the area. Pig bones were found at the site commandeered by de Soto by archeologists.

Any celebration of the first Christmas in America would have been religious in nature since the hardships chronicled by logs of the Spanish explorers are filled with death and starvation. Gift exchanges were very unlikely.

Hernando then traveled west through the panhandle of Florida. From their winter location in the western panhandle of Florida, having heard of gold being mined “toward the sun’s rising”, the expedition turned northeast through what is now the modern state of Georgia.

First Christmas in America Shadowed by Brutality

First Christmas in America - funeral of Hernando de Soto
Supposedly Hernando de Soto died near the Missisippi River in 1542

Along the way, it is clear from the records of survivors of the expedition that de Soto was brutal. He captured and enslaved Native Americans. On some occasions, he murdered and battled with various tribes he encountered.

Records indicate that de Soto traveled through South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana. His search for gold was fruitless. He turned back to the south where he hoped to meet his ships.

The brutal journey of Hernando de Soto ended when he was wounded in one of the many skirmishes with Native Americans. He became ill with a fever and died in 1542.

The new leader of the expedition, Luis de Moscoso, led what was left of his men on rafts down the Mississippi, finally reaching Mexico in 1543. By that time there were less than half of the entourage left.

 While history was not kind to Hernando de Soto’s tactics, it is clear that the first Christmas in America may have been in Florida.

More Florida history is here –

21 Historical Sites in Florida – Places, Attractions and Fun Facts – Florida Travel Blog – Documenting the REAL Florida!

History of Florida Hurricanes by Year

Florida Population by Year

 

Originally published at https://floridatravel.blog/first-christmas-in-america/

- Part of VUGA -Best marketing
Latest News

Kay Properties Expands Its Team of Delaware Statutory Trust Specialists with the Appointment of Timothy Emanuel as Vice President

In his new role, Emanuel will work alongside Senior Vice Presidents to educate and assist high net worth investors...
- Advertisement -the best reality show

More Articles Like This