h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Founding of Saint Augustine, Florida, USA - A87809728
Author: Florida Sailor Looking at the Swamp! - U235886

I think this one is about ready

Blame Dmitri A87807711

Pt is an interesting story though.

Still need to find a few h2g2 links, but I am anxious to share

F S

Excellent and it also reminds us Eurozone residents that the Americas have a considerable and very interesting History

Well done

An excellent article!
The one thing I would change is the sentence 'a radical idea that the world was round', a fact that had been well-known since the 6th Century BC can hardly be described as 'radical'.
That the world was round was known by Greeks including Pythagorus, Plato, Aristotle etc . The Romans always showed the Earth as a globe (Earth was normally held by in the hand of the goddess Roma) – it was also known by the church in mediæval times, as is shown in Bede and Dante. The myth that educated people in Europe before Christopher Columbus believed that the world was flat was started by American novelist Washington Irving in his fictional story about Christopher Columbus published in 1828 that included a scene where the Church accused him of Heresy for believing the Earth was round. It is this best-selling fiction that people remember, not the actual truth.

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The Graeco-Egyptian philosopher Ptolemy calculated the size of the Earth and unfortunately got it wrong. His figure was far too small. His work "Almagest" became the standard description of cosmology, and was accepted as the best description of the universe until challenged by Copernicus, Galileo etc.

Columbus believed that the Earth was smaller than it actually is because he was using Ptolemy's figure - by that reckoning, he should have been in China or Japan when he reached land.

Thank you all for your comments.

I did leave in the phrase 'radical idea' only because I started it with 'was not', I believe that most readers will not be as well informed as we are. I did remove the compromising 'so much' I only tempered the phrase to keep old Chris from taking over the Entry. I also added a footnote about the 'flat earth'.

The main reason I brought it up was to explain why the treasure ships had to sail up the Florida coast, because it was the main reason Spain had to destroy the French colony.

As much as I would enjoy getting into the whole circumference of the earth argument, I'm afraid it would only be a distraction here.



F S

I think it reads well now - not to disparage Columbus' achievement, as he was the first to find a practical use for the knowledge of the world was round by, as you say, knowing and understanding trade winds, a real achievement.

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I think this is a very intersting Entry. It made me look up all the places on the map.

I have a few pictures of Saint Augustine, but no doubt Florida Sailor has plenty.

This is a good, well written entry. I've listed here a few content issues and phrasing suggests, as well as a few typos where I think they are important. There are other typos that the sub-editor will no doubt sort out.

While Spain had established may prosperous colonies -->
While Spain had established many prosperous colonies

the Canary Island --> the Canary Islands

When you first mention the St Johns River, you should say in the text that it is in Florida, rather than putting it in a footnote. You could leave Jackonville in the footnote, though.

"Faced with starvation the men built a boat to cross the ocean and return to France. One young man elected to stay behind and live with the Native Americans, the rest of the colonists built a large boat and attempted to return to France." -- you've got repetition here. Reword it.

Laudére -- check the accent on that. I'm fairly sure it should be a grave (downward) rather than acute (upward). The name occurs many times.

Fort Caroline, as a tribute to King Charles IX of France -- you might like to add a footnote that Charles is Carolus in Latin, so Caroline means 'of Charles'.

"A force must be sent, to not only remove the French threat, but a settlement had to be established in the vicinity to guard against any future incursions into the Spanish territory." -- the grammar of this is all wrong. I suggest:

A force must be sent, not only to remove the French threat, but also to establish a settlement in the vicinity to guard against any future incursions into the Spanish territory.

On 20 June he sailed from Cádiz -- please provide the year for this date. It's not clear from context.

four large French ships laying off the river's bar --> four large French ships lying off the river's bar

While most of his lieutenants urged caution, Menéndez insisted they challenge the four French ships lying exposed outside the river's bar. -- this repeats the description of the four French ships from the previous sentence. Reword it.

about 40 miles (km) --> about 40 miles (65km)

the natives welcomed to new Europeans --> the natives welcomed the new Europeans

In the 16th century the only tool for forecasting weather was by observation on the sky. -- observation isn't really a tool, more of a method. I suggest:

In the 16th Century, the only method of forecasting weather was by observation of the sky.

were taken to the sight --> were taken to the site

The town, and latter city of St Augustine -- latter should be later

are seeded to Great Britain --> are ceded to Great Britain

galaxy>

Thanks Gnomon

Corrections added

While reviewing the accent for Laudére I find the spelling in my primary text is actually Laudonnière, I suspect I picked up the simpler spelling from a secondary on-line source all corrected.


F S

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get the glasses