Mossy Feet Books – Author Paul R. Wonning
Books About Indiana History, United States History and Garden Guides
Thomas West, Baron De La Warr, and Anne Knollys West, birthed their son, Thomas West, on July 9, 1576 in Wherwell, Hampshire, England. He attended Queen’s College, Oxford, where he received a degree. After graduation, he entered the army and served under Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. The Queen accused him of participating in Devereax’s insurrection against her, however, the court acquitted him. Continue reading Podcast – Jamestown Colony Abandoned
The Sea Venture was the first ship designed as an emigrant ship and included several new interior design features. The hold was designed to accommodate passengers. Previous vessels had their defensive guns placed below decks. This placement called for a double-planked hull so it could withstand the concussion of the cannon. The Sea Venture’s guns were on the main deck, eliminating this need. The Sea Venture had a displacement of 300 tons. Many sea historians think she was the first single timbered ship built for immigration. Continue reading Podcast – The Disastrous Jamestown Third Supply Mission
George Popham led a colony to current Maine to found a colony along the Kennebec River as a venture for the Plymouth Company, establishing the colony on August 13, 1607. Continue reading Podcast – The Short-Lived, Little Known Popham Colony
Five months out from the beginning of their voyage from Acapulco, Mexico the expedition headed up by Sebastián Vizcaíno reached a bay that an earlier explorer, Rodríquez Cabrillo, had called San Miguel. They entered the bay on November 10. The expedition of three ships entered the bay and anchored. Continue reading Podcast – Sebastián Vizcaíno Exploration in California
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado had explored large areas of what would become America’s Southwest in 1540 – 1542. Spain had never followed up on this great expedition. King Phillip II of Spain decided to end this neglect by charging explorer Juan de Oñate with the mission of exploring this region on September 21, 1595. Continue reading Juan de Oñate Expedition to the Great Plains
Greetings, today I will conclude the tale of the Roanoke settlement in Virginia Continue reading John White Returns to Roanoke
By 1588 Spain was the preeminent power. Its overseas colonies spread over three continents in the New World, North America, South America and Central America. These colonies sent vast quantities of gold back to Spai Continue reading Podcast – The Spanish Armada
The queen bestowed the award on Raleigh on March 25, 1584. About a month later Raleigh dispatched a scouting expedition to the region that would eventually become Virginia on April 27, 1584. The The expedition arrived in the region of Roanoke Island on July 4, 1584. The explorers nosed around the area, establishing relations with to Amerindian tribes and making notes about the customs of the local people as well as recording data about the geography of the area, after which they returned to England and reported to Raleigh what they found. Grenville took two native chiefs named Wanchese and Manteo with him to England. Continue reading New Podcast – Sir Walter Raleigh’s Roanoke Colony
Today the author talks about the exploits of Sir Humphrey Gilbert and his attempt to settle Newfoundland. Continue reading Video – Sir Humphrey Gilbert And His Ill Fated Attempt To Settle Newfoundland
Sir Humphrey Gilbert Ill-fated Attempt To Settle Newfoundland
Native to Devon, England, Sir Humphrey Gilbert attended Oxford where he received training in the military and navigational arts. He joined the British military and served at the siege of Le Havre on the French coast where he was wounded. He and Sir Walter Raleigh were half brothers. Continue reading Podcast – Sir Humphrey Gilbert And His Ill Fated Attempt To Settle Newfoundland
The story of the founding of St. Augustine, Florida begins with a disastrous French settlement on Pariss Island in 1562, North Carolina and ends with the destruction of the French Fort Caroline in Florida three years later. Continue reading Pedro Menéndez de Aviles and the Founding Of St. Augustine
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado’s fleet departed San Miguel de Culiacán on their quest to explore what the area of the Colorado River on April 22, 1540. Hernando de Alarcón would depart by ship in May. The plan was for Alarcón to find the mouth of the Colorado River, sail up it and rendezvous with Coronado’s overland expedition. Continue reading Podcast – Coronado’s Search For The 7 Cities Of Gold
Hernando de Soto lived from October 21, 1496 until May 21, 1542. His parents were members of a minor Spanish nobility class called Hildagos. As nobility, they would pay no taxes, however they had little property. He spent his childhood migrating with his family between 3 towns in southwest Spain. As he matured, he attended the University of Salamanca, courtesy of a family friend’s generosity. During his early life tales of the adventures of the Spanish conquistadors circulated widely among the people. Intrigued by the possibility of wealth and fame, he decided to become one of these adventurers. Continue reading Podcast – Hernando De Soto’s Expedition to the Mississippi River
By the time of da Verrazzano’s expedition many began to suspect that Columbus had not visited Asia. Instead he had found an entirely new land. German geographers Martin Waldseemuller and Matthias Ringmann published a map in 1507 that depicted the discoveries as part of a new world in 1507. Continue reading Podcast – The Explorations of Giovanni da Verrazzano
His small fleet included four ships and departed on May 9, 1502. His stepbrother Bartolomeo, Diego Mendez, and his 13-year-old son Fernando accompanied him. During the final leg of the voyage, he encountered a hurricane that was brewing, so he did stop at Hispaniola to warn the governor. The governor ignored his warning and sent a 28-ship fleet laden with treasure on its way. The ships did encounter the hurricane, which sank 24 of the 28 ships. Columbus had placed some of his possessions on one of the ships and this ship was one of the survivors. Continue reading Christopher Columbus’ Fourth Voyage, Death and His Wanderings After Death
Today I will talk about the first Spanish settlement in the New World and the conclusion of Columbus’ second voyage. Continue reading The First New World Spanish Settlement
Columbus’ Second Voyage Begins and Finds Mystery at La Navidad
Columbus had little trouble gaining support for a second expedition, as many believed he had found a short cut to Asia and its rich supplies of silk and spices. Continue reading Podcast – Columbus’ Second Voyage Begins and Finds Mystery at La Navidad
After leaving Cuba the captain of the Pinta, Martín Alonso Pinzón, took off on his own. Continue reading Podcast – Division of the fleet, First Spanish Settlement, Mermaids and Return to Spain
Columbus and he crew reached Cuba on October 28, 1492. While there he did not find any gold, however he discovered the natives growing two crops that would generate much gold for the settlers that migrated to the New World in the coming decades, corn and tobacco. Continue reading Columbus on Cuba- Learns of Corn and Tobacco
The three ships departed the Canary Islands on September 6, 1492. The ships would remain out of sight of land for 5 long weeks. Continue reading Podcast – Columbus – San Salvador Island, Fernandina and Cuba
Mossy Feet Books - Author Paul R. Wonning 