jan 1, 1565 - St. Augustine fortress established

Description:

After English explorer John Cabot and French explorer Giovanni da Verrazano stuck their noses into Spanish New World holdings, the Spanish saw the need for some safeguards for their possessions. The first of these was a fortress at St. Augustine, Florida in 1765, which is now the oldest continually inhabited European settlement in the United States. This also marked the beginning of more forts and conquistador establishments north of Mexico.