Fort Caroline, established in 1562, was built by which group and leader?

• A. French Huguenots, led by Jean Rebault
• B. English explorers, led by Sir Walter Raleigh
• C. Spanish colonists, led by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
• D. Dutch traders, led by Henry Hudson

Answer: (A)

European powers in the 1500s were competing for footholds in North America, so they built forts to establish claims and protect settlements. Fort Caroline is the French Huguenot answer to that competition, created along the St. Johns River in Florida as a base for Protestant settlers. The fort was established by French Huguenots under the leadership of Jean Ribault, a notable explorer of the era. Its purpose was to solidify French presence in the region and challenge Spanish Florida. Eventually, Spanish forces under Pedro Menéndez de Avilés destroyed Fort Caroline, demonstrating how these early rivalries shaped the map of colonial power in the Southeast.