Santa Elena

By Tangobango
  • 1521

    Spanish Land in Present-Day South Carolina for Exploration

    Vazquez de Ayllon
    Land near present day Georgetown (between Charleston and Myrtle Beach
    Capture 60 natives as slaves, including one baptized as Francisco de Chicora
  • 1525

    Second Spanish Exploration Lands Near Present-Day Savannah

    Explore north up the coast, possibly as far as Chesapeake Bay
  • 1526

    Large Spanish Colonizing Group Sent

    600-700 passengers and crew was assembled. Some women, children and African slaves were included among the settlers. Supplies and livestock, including cows, sheep, pigs and a hundred horses
  • 1526

    Colony of San Miguel de Gualdape Formally Established in Present-Day Georgia

    First landed near previous 1521 landing
    Shipwreck and lost supplies
    Built boat and moved south
  • 1526

    San Miguel de Gualdape Abandoned

    Exhaustion, cold, hunger, disease, and troubles with the local natives
    The surviving colonists broke into warring factions and by mid-November decided to give up and sail home.
    Only 150 survivors made their way back to Hispaniola that winter.
  • 1562

    Jean Ribault founds Charlesfort

    150 Huguenots
    Arrives here after first landing near present-day Jacksonville, FL
  • 1562

    Ribault leaves for France to get supplies

    Return delayed by involvement in religious war and imprisonment in England
  • Period: 1562 to 1563

    Charlesfort

  • 1563

    Charlesfort abandoned

    Mutiny against leader because if cruelty
    Remaining supplies destroyed by fire
    Build boat and set off for France
  • 1566

    Pedro Menéndez de Avilés Founds Santa Elena

    Capital of La Florida
    Fort San Salvador
    Fort San Felipe replaces it soon after
    Second Fort San Felipe after fire
  • Period: 1566 to 1576

    First Spanish Santa Elena

  • 1568

    Additional Settlers

    Farmers, missionaries, families
    Town lots and farming plots assigned
    40 houses
  • 1571

    More Settlers and Disease

    Pedro Menéndez de Avilés‘s wife and family arrive
  • 1576

    Santa Elena abandoned

    Food shortages and small harvests due to poor soil and limited farming area
    Poor relations with native Orista and Guale tribes
    Incidents involving food
    Natives attack and drive Spanish away
    Fort burned
  • 1577

    Spanish Settlers Return to Santa Elena

    Pedro Menéndez Márquez
    Fort San Marcos
  • Period: 1577 to

    Second Spanish Santa Helena

  • 1580

    Natives Attacked and Driven from Santa Elena Island

  • Santa Elena Abandoned

    Threat of English under Drake
    Spanish burn settlement and leave