Alcatraz Before Capone Research Paper

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Alcatraz Before Capone In the early 17th century, a Miwokian Native American traverses a 22-acre island, searching for the eggs of pelicans and other seabirds (Weirde 1). This native is unaware of the cultural and global impact the small, desolate island will have. Around the same period of time, an Ohlone Native American is exiled for violating tribal ordinances (“Pre-1769”). This Native American is homologously unaware that the island he is exiled on will ironically be used for a much similar purpose in only a few centuries as a federal penitentiary. Most Americans now know this island as Alcatraz; however, the island’s use before it housed a federal penitentiary is not typically well-known. When a typical American hears “Alcatraz”, they conjure up images of a maximum-security prison, Al Capone, and many other stereotypicalities. On the contrary, Alcatraz has a surprisingly rich pre-prison history. Alcatraz’s Discovery …show more content…

The discovery came about by two Spanish explorers via land expedition: Captain Pedro Fages and Father Juan Crespi. The Captain-Pedro Fages-recorded the following in his journal, “Within the estuary we saw five islands, three of them making a triangle opposite the mouth, with a large distance between them; and the nearest of them to the channel at the mouth [Alcatraz] must have been over a league from it” (“An Introduction to Alcatraz Island”). Even though the island was first “discovered” in 1772, a European would not set foot on the island until a few years

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