The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Saint Augustine, Florida
March 31, 2022
Built by the Spanish in Saint Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the Continental United States and interprets more than 450 years of cultural intersections.
Official Website: https://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm
Pictured above is a Coquina wall of which the Castillo Monument is made out of. Coquina is formed from the tiny coquina clam donax variabilis which live in the shallow waters of coastal Florida. As the clams died, the shells accumulated in layers over many years. During the last ice age, sea levels dropped, exposing the layers of shells to the air and rain. Eventually, the shell became covered with soil and other vegetation, which mixed with carbon dioxide, turned into acid. As this acid-soaked downward into the layers of the shell, it dissolved some of the calcium in the shells, producing calcium carbonate which solidified in the lower layers. This acted as a glue, compressing the shells together into a type of limestone called Coquina. Saint Augustine had an abundant amount of this stone because it had remained untouched for many decades. When a new building material was needed to replace wood (which could be easily burnt), the people of Saint Augustine decided to utilize this stone in order to rebuild the city which would be more protected from attack.
Originating in Italy in the 15th century, the particular star-shaped design of the Castillo is a result of architecture adapting to technology. The change in warfare brought about by black powder weapons created new types of defensive structures adapted both to withstand and avoid the impact of cannon projectiles. This structure was also used to effectively mount cannons to repel any possible attackers. One of the major architectural components, pictured above, is the "bastion system". This was named for the diamond or pointed angle formations added onto the fort walls. This system was more effective than previously popular curved walls because these new pointed edges allowed direct fire from other positions of defense. By having angled walls, the attackers had no place to hide and were channeled into carefully constructed "kill zones".
Exterior 1
In Conversation Image 1
Shown above is Fort Carré in France. Fort Carré is a 16th-century fort on the outskirts of Antibes, France. The fort played a vital role in the defenses of the town is 1860, the year when the county of Nice was annexed to France. During the French Revolution, people were even briefly imprisoned here. This fort in France has the same purpose and architectural style as The Castillo. Both forts were built with the purpose of protecting their towns and the people occupying them. Both housed soldiers during wars and revolutions, and even held prisoners. The most prominent similarity is the architectural style used in both forts. The star-shaped style of the forts symbolized emerging technology and advancements. The Bastion System refers to the pointed angle formations added to the walls. These provided a unique and more effective type of protection from intruders. The two forts are also both situated along a body of water which is vital for trade at the time. Saint Augustine and Antibes alike had invaders coming through trade routes that the forts protected from.
In Conversation Image 2
Pictured above is the First Thanksgiving, where Native Americans and early settlers gave thanks together with this now historic feast. Long before the settlers came to the East Coast of the United States, the area was inhabited by many Native American tribes. This area had been home to the Wampanoag people for decades before the settlers came on the Mayflower. The settlers were a group of English Protestants called Puritans, and they came to get away from the Church of England. Similarly, Saint Augustine was home to indigenous people long before Europeans sought to settle here. Multiple groups of native peoples lived in Florida before European settlement, such as the Calusa, Tequesta, Apalachee, Aix, and Timucua. In both stories, outside conquistadors from Europe took over the land that the native people had lived on and shaped for decades, the only difference being the way they went about it. In the story of the First Thanksgiving, the indigenous people and settlers came together and gave thanks as a community. However, in Saint Augustine, the settlers met the Native Americans with violence, and many were even killed off due to diseases brought by the Europeans.
In Conversation Passage ENG 202
Wallace Stevens's poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird", a blackbird takes on many different meanings as the writing unfolds. The poem overall suggests that people look at the world in different ways and have different perceptions of reality. The blackbird is a specific point of focus, and each section has a different meaning depending on who is reading it and what has shaped it. The poem creates a circle of events, starting with the blackbird in the tree and ending with the blackbird again in a natural setting. The blackbird is at rest in the tree after a somewhat wild journey of perceptions and feelings. The simplicity of this image allows the reader to take into consideration what came before and the journey that led up to that moment. Similarly, the Castillo de San Marcos is a symbol of a journey of historic conquest. The history that has led up to the present-day monument tells many stories of the people and events that have shaped the place and the city as a whole. The Castillo is similar to the blackbird by acting as a symbol of everything the monument has overcome. In its naturally preserved form, the simple image of the Castillo gives the people who encounter it space to consider the stories that are behind the city's most prominent monument.
Creative Component
This infographic made with the online graphic design website Canva displays the people who shaped the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. I have made infographics and posters with Canva before, so I was familiar with the software. It is important to note the people that have made a mark on locations because they shape them and add new dimensions to the stories.
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