Many people dont know the origin of calling people crackers. Although I learned the origin several years ago, I was inspired at the Cracker Storytelling Festival to share this today. After hearing several wonderful stories we enjoyed the whip cracking competition. Ponce de Leon after landing in what would become St. Augustine named Pascua Florida on Easter in 1513. Translation: means Flowery Easter or Flowering Easter (after Spains Feast of the Flowers Easter celebration). In 1521 when he returned, he brought horses and seven Andalusian cattle, the ancestors of the Texas Longhorns. He knew hed found pastureland. Spanish explorers turned Florida into Americas oldest cattle-raising state. They multiplied and roamed freely about the incredible landscape we call Florida. Fast forward a few hundred years...Railroads reached into Florida. Because trains could ship cattle, the beef industry grew. New towns sprang up around the ranches, and more people arrived from other states. There was work for blacksmiths, shopkeepers, and cowboys in these settlements. During the Civil War, Florida became a chief supplier of cattle to the Confederacy, both for meat and leather. The cattle hunters and those that worked for ranchers would use dogs to herd, or round up the cattle, to lead them to the train yards The sound of the cracking whip alerted the dogs to begin ready the cattle to begin their journey. Hence the cattlemen were referred to as crackers.
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 00:04:18 +0000
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