The Rancho period was a time of great political change and turmoil in south Florida. Over the next 100 years Florida would change political dominion from Spain, to England, back to Spain, and then to the United States. Cuban and Indian interests would wax and wane in the balance and Florida would become integrated with a new American culture.
In the vacuum left by the once mighty Calusa, and with the depletion of the fisheries off Cuba, Cuban fisherfolk began plying the waters off southwest Florida. Many of the Cuban vessels were guided by Calusa refugees familiar with their homeland waters. At first the Cuban fisherfolk set up seasonal fish camps from August to March, but later established permanent settlements known as ranchos.
Many of the Ranchos were situated on Calusa mounds sites. The fisherfolk built small thatch huts, manufactured nets from silk grass (cotton and flax instead of palmetto), and prepared racks for drying fish. Days were spent fishing and curing roe from mullet and drum. Drum, pompano, and sea trout were dried and salted for transport. Other commodities include turtle and shark liver oil.
An active trading system was established with the new local Indians, who became known as the Seminole. The Cubans traded salt and dry goods such as glass beads, copper and silver hawk bells, hatchets, knives, fishhooks, clothing and tobacco to the Indians in exchange for fish, fruits, hides, furs, animal grease (sea otter and manatee), birds, and ambergris. Over time new commodities entered the exchange. The Cubans offered rum, sugar, coffee, tobacco, and dried fish in exchange for deerskins, furs, bear oil, honey, and beeswax. It appears that the establishment of the Cuban fishing ranchos negated the need for estuarine products (fish), while the desire for forest products continued.
The Rancho period is marked by conflicting reports depicting the Indians, Cuban fisherfolk and, in particular residents of the ranchos as either tax evading, uncivilized smugglers or as harmless, hardworking fisherfolk. During times of social and political turmoil such as during the Seminole Wars (1817-1821, 1835-1844) the ranchos were attacked and/or abandoned, but would re-establish themselves in times of peace. However, after the Second Seminole War, the U.S. government adopted a policy of non-settlement in the region, which brought the Rancho period to a close. Some Ranchos moved north to Tampa, while others were disbanded. Other Fisherfolk joined with their Indian kin and were relocated west.
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