Traditionally, archaeologists interested in various types of forts have focused on their military and defensive features, protective walls, and armaments. This fascinating volume, however, studies the diverse communities that occupied British forts from the mid-1600s to the 1800s. As the British Empire expanded around the globe, they built forts to protect colonial settlements and trading enclaves. The communities that served these forts were as diverse as the landscapes they sought to control.
In this volume ten scholars examine British fort communities in North America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Forts in New York State, Michigan, the St. Lawrence River, and the Columbia River are included. The fort communities included military garrisons, trading operations, colonial families, slaves, indigenous people, and others. They are extremely diverse and tended to evolve as the fort gave way to larger settlements. Some of their activities are well documented in the historical record, while the presence and activities of the lower classes generally are not. Archaeological research expands and enhances the historical record. The ten case studies represented in this volume demonstrate the complexity of the fort communities, and the role archaeology plays in seeking the whole story.
