3. The French at Fort Caroline: Florida’s Forgotten Huguenots
In the 1560s, French Huguenots established Fort Caroline on Florida’s coast, seeking religious refuge and new beginnings. Their hopes were brutally dashed when Spanish forces, determined to defend their claim, swept in and destroyed the colony. This brief, bloody episode exemplifies the brutal religious and imperial rivalries that shaped the New World’s fate. Further reading: National Park Service.
