San Miguel de Gualdape facts for kids

Quick facts for kids San Miguel de Gualdape
Detail of Ribero map showing land granted to Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón on southeast coast of North America, site of first Spanish colony established in present-day United States

San Miguel de Gualdape was a Spanish colony that did not last long. It was started in 1526 by Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón. This settlement was somewhere on the coast of what is now Carolinas or Georgia. Its exact spot is still debated by historians today. It was the first European settlement in what is now the continental United States. It was also the third European settlement in North America, north of Mexico.

Ayllón's group first landed near Winyah Bay around August 9, 1526. They quickly saw that this area was not good for a settlement. So, they moved south, possibly to Sapelo Sound in Georgia. The colony only lasted for about two months. Many settlers got sick, ran out of food, or faced attacks from Native Americans. Also, some enslaved people rebelled. Out of 600 people who started the journey, only about 150 survived to leave.

The enslaved Africans brought by the settlers were the first documented Black enslaved people in what became the continental United States. They also carried out the first slave rebellion there.

Early Exploration and Plans

Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón was a rich sugar planter and a judge in Hispaniola. In 1521, he sent Francisco Gordillo to the Bahamas to capture people as enslaved workers. The islands were empty, so Gordillo and Pedro de Quexos sailed northwest. On June 24, 1521, they landed at Winyah Bay in present-day South Carolina. They explored the area and then captured seventy Native Americans. They took them back to Hispaniola. The authorities did not approve of this capture, but they did not send the captives back. Most of the captured people died, and the rest were divided among the settlers.

Gordillo and Quejo returned with exciting news about the land they found. They said it would be easy to settle and would become a rich colony. Ayllón was very interested. He asked the Spanish king for permission to explore and settle the region. He even traveled to Spain to make his case in person.

Ayllón brought one of the captured Native Americans with him. This man had been baptized as Francisco de Chicora. He later helped the Spanish as a translator. "Chicora" was the Spanish name for Francisco's home, which was part of the Siouan-speaking lands. In Spain, Francisco met a writer named Peter Martyr. Francisco told him many stories about his people and their land. He described people with "blond hair to the heels" and a giant king. He also spoke of pearls and other valuable gems in the region.

On June 12, 1523, Ayllón received a special permit, called a cédula, from Charles V. This permit allowed him to create a settlement on the eastern coast. He could also trade with the local Native Americans. Ayllón would be governor for life. He also got the title of alguacil mayor (high sheriff) for himself and his family forever. In return, Ayllón had to explore the region more. He also had to build missions, churches, and a Franciscan monastery. These were meant to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. He was not allowed to force Native Americans into labor.

As part of his agreement, Ayllón hired Quejo to lead an exploration trip. Quejo sailed with two ships and about sixty crew members in April 1525. Their job was to explore about 640 miles of coastline. They had to record important details, set up stone markers for Charles V, and find Native Americans to be guides. They first landed on May 3, 1525, likely at the Savannah River. They continued north to Winyah Bay, where they had first landed in 1521. Quejo might have gone as far north as Chesapeake Bay. He noted that the coast north of Winyah Bay was mostly sand dunes and pine trees. The expedition returned home in July 1525.

Starting and Failing the Colony

After Quejo returned, Ayllón began preparing for a large settlement trip. He spent a lot of his own money and even went into debt. He put together a fleet of six ships. These ships carried about 600-700 people, including settlers and crew. Some women, children, and enslaved Africans were among the settlers. Two Dominican priests, Antonio de Montesinos and Antonio de Cervantes, joined the group. They were there to help both the settlers and the Native Americans. Montesinos was known for speaking out against the enslavement of Native Americans. Supplies and animals like cows, sheep, pigs, and a hundred horses were loaded. The fleet left in mid-July 1526.

The large group landed in Winyah Bay on August 9, 1526. They faced their first big problem when their main ship, the Capitana, hit a sandbar and sank. No one died, but many of their supplies were lost. Also, Francisco de Chicora and the other Native American guides ran away into the woods. Ayllón ordered a new ship, La Gavarra, to be built. This was likely the first European-style boat built in what is now the United States.

They looked for a good place to settle near Pawleys Island. But the soil was poor, and there were not many Native Americans for trade. Several groups were sent out to find better spots. Based on their reports, Ayllón decided to move about 200 miles south. They went to a "powerful river," probably Sapelo Sound in present-day Georgia. In early September, the healthy men rode horses to the new site. The rest traveled by ship. When they reached Sapelo Sound, they immediately started building houses and a church.

On September 29, 1526, the settlement was named San Miguel de Gualdape. This was to honor St. Michael the Archangel. Gualdape likely referred to the local Guale tribe. The colony's situation quickly got worse. They had started late, and their main ship was lost. The settlers suffered from hunger, cold, and sickness. It was too late in the year to plant crops, and there was little game to hunt. The waters had many fish, but the settlers were too sick or unwilling to catch them. The shallow water and porous soil likely made their wells dirty. Diseases, especially dysentery, spread quickly. Ayllón had hoped to get food by trading with Native Americans. However, the Native Americans could not or would not help. On top of everything, the weather became unusually cold. This made the settlers even more miserable.

Many people died quickly. On October 18, 1526, Ayllón himself died. Captain Francisco Gómez became the new leader. He and other council members wanted to stay and wait for new supplies. But another group, led by Gines Doncel, wanted to leave. Within a week of Ayllón's death, Doncel and his armed supporters arrested Gómez and the other leaders. They locked them in Doncel's house. At the same time, another group of settlers attacked a local Native American village. They demanded food and help. The villagers fought back, and the settlers were killed. This event made the local Native Americans more hostile towards the Spanish.

Doncel wanted to get rid of anyone who opposed him. One night, he and his helper planned to attack and kill two opponents. For reasons that are not clear, some of the enslaved Africans set fire to Doncel's house that same night. In the confusion, Gómez and the other leaders were freed. Doncel and the other rebels were arrested. By then, the remaining colonists agreed it was time to leave. By the end of October, they were boarding their ships. By mid-November, all the settlers had left San Miguel de Gualdape.

The journey home was very hard due to bad weather and little food and water. The ships got separated. Some trips took weeks, others months. Many passengers froze to death. Out of the 600 people who started the trip in July, only about 150 returned home alive.

Where Was It Located?

Old records from the 1500s give unclear information about where San Miguel de Gualdape was. Because of this, the exact landing spot and settlement location have been debated by experts for a long time.

In the 1800s, some historians thought Ayllón traveled north after landing. Later, in the 1900s, scholars generally agreed that the expedition traveled southwest. Today, many historians believe Ayllón first landed near the Santee River. They think he then established San Miguel de Gualdape at Sapelo Sound in present-day Georgia. However, some still think it was at the Savannah River.

Scientists have tried to find the exact site of the colony using archaeology, but they have not been successful yet.

Lasting Impact

After the failure of San Miguel de Gualdape, the Spanish realized they needed to be better prepared. They learned that the region had colder weather and more aggressive Native American groups. Many still believed the area had potential. But they knew future attempts would need strong military leadership. The next major exploration was led by Hernando de Soto. His expedition showed that a more military approach was indeed used.

Slavery and Rebellion

Among the 600 settlers with Ayllón were some enslaved Africans. A writer from that time, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, said only that "some" enslaved Black people were brought along. Historians think they were likely household servants or skilled workers. In October, a group of enslaved people in the settlement set fire to the home of Gines Doncel. Doncel was leading a rebellion against the colony's leaders. We do not know many details. Oviedo simply said the enslaved people "had their reasons" for this action. During the confusion, Doncel and his fellow rebels were arrested. There is no record of what happened to those who set the fire. This event, where enslaved people helped the government against rebels, is seen as the first slave rebellion on mainland North America.

First Catholic Mass

Two Dominican priests, Fr. Antonio de Montesinos and Fr. Anthony de Cervantes, were part of the colonists at San Miguel de Gualdape. They would have celebrated Mass every day. This means San Miguel de Gualdape was the first place in the present-day United States where Catholic Mass was celebrated. The exact location and date of this event are not known.

See also

In Spanish: San Miguel de Gualdape para niños