I am a Master's student in the Florida Studies program at USF St. Petersburg, Florida! This is a video presentation on my research from this past semester, Spring 2020. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments! Correction: In the first image where I say there is perhaps an "auto", my Professor corrected me explaining that it is most likely shorthand for "Audiençia".

Pedro Menèndez was the founder of St. Augustine. In this video, I explore the contents of his contract with Spanish King Philip II and challenge their motivation for sending Menéndez to La Florida in 1565.

The Tristan de Luna expedition is one of mystery, dishonesty, and defiance. It all began in 1554 when four ships were caught in a hurricane and wrecked off Padre Island, Texas. Paul Hoffman describes the tragedy as having a massive impact on how the Spaniards proceeded with future entradas. To prevent more Spaniards from dying by way of the native arrow, the new objective was to build more Spanish settlements for two reasons: protect those who were ship wrecked and also to pa

This video was made by Chessy Ricca for a project for class covering Hernando De Soto and his entrada into La Florida in 1539.

Hernando de Soto and the Indians of Florida : Milanich and Hudson          Milanich and Hudson wrote this book with the intention of proving their stance on the Soto route’s location based on archaeological evidence that has surfaced since Swanton’s creation of the Soto route in the early 1900s. Together, they wanted to develop a picture of social geography among the Indians of Florida. Hudson believes that in doing so, he was able to give the Indians life. “Now, the Florida

This video and art within were created by graduate student, Chessy Ricca for USF's Florida Studies program. Based off a book written by Eugene Lyon, I will summarize the nature of the Enterprise of Florida and discuss the contract signed by Pedro Menéndez and Spanish King Philip II on March 15, 1565. This project is part of a series called the Florida Stories created by students in the Florida Studies program at USF St. Pete. Artwork and voice done by Chessy Ricca Music comp

Chessy Ricca Dr. Michael Francis October 22, 2018 Indian powers within the American south focused primarily on furthering their private agendas. Long before Spaniards, French, or English colonists arrived in the New World, Indian communication paths were interconnected over enormous distances. Gold and supplies were a top priority to these Spanish colonists, but the Indian itinerary was always movement, harmony, war, trade and territorial control. Any information involving th

Chessy Ricca Dr. Michael Francis September 19, 2018 The Myths and Legends of the early 16 th  century were the foundation for Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon’s Spanish exploration of La Florida and the land’s ultimate colonization in 1565. In Paul E. Hoffman’s book, A New Andalucia and a Way to the Orient , he discusses how those Legends were instrumental in inspiring the multiple expeditions of the early 1500s. The Chicora Legend lived by the writings of Peter Martyr, a man who neve