Early Human Inhabitants
In Ages Past, painting by Christopher Still
People first reached Florida at least 14,000 years ago. The Florida coastline was very different then. Many large animals that lived then (such as the saber-tooth tiger, mastodon, giant armadillo, and camel) are now extinct.
The people who lived in early Florida hunted small animals and gathered wild plants for food. Sometimes they hunted large animals. They also ate nuts and shellfish. They lived in areas where fresh water, firewood, and stones were available. They used stone, bone, wood, and shell to make tools. Native peoples' ways of life changed over time.
About 1,000 years ago, some Native groups in Florida began to grow corn, beans, and squash. They traded with people outside Florida. Some societies built large mounds made of soil and shells as in from shellfish. Today we can learn about their culture by studying objects they left behind, including clay pottery and stone tools.
1. Look at the picture above and circle tools that were used by Native Americans to gather food.
2. Go to christopherstill.com/fl-house-of-reps and click on the picture that matches the painting above.
3. Click on "Go to link" to learn more about the tools you circled.
Free Play
What do you know about the people who lived in Florida before European explorers arrived in 1513?
The people who lived in early Florida hunted animals, caught fish, and gathered wild plants for food. They lived in areas where fresh water, firewood, and stones were available. They used stone, bone, wood, and shell to make tools.
Archaeologists find objects buried in the ground that people from the past left behind. Studying these objects called "artifacts" can tell us a lot about how people lived and worked.
Your job for this Free Play is to be a virtual archaeologist and study an artifact used by Native Americans before 1513.
Directions
1. Go to floridamemory.com/items/show/16118.
Questions to Answer
1. What is the object in the photo called?
2. What kind of object do you think this is? (tool, toy, jewelry, etc.)
3. What do you think this object was used for?
4. Where in Florida was this object discovered?
Draw a picture of what you think the object originally looked like.
Five Flags Over Florida
1. Spanish soldiers and explorers used a flag bearing the Cross of Burgundy when they occupied Florida from 1565 to 1763.
2. In 1564, French explorers established a short-lived settlement near present-day Jacksonville.
3. The flag of Britain flew over Florida from 1763 to 1783.
4. This flag was one of several flown in Florida during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865.
5. The design of Florida's current flag was adopted in 1900.
To see more of Florida's historic flags: DOS.FL.gov/florida-facts/florida-state-symbols/state-flag/floridas-historic-flags/
Use the pictures on this web site to color Florida's historic flags.
