The People of the Glades

This article captivated me right off the bat because of its descriptive story about the continents shifting back and forth, and the development of prehistoric man and mammal.  I find archeology and anthropology very interesting, so this article kept my attention by bringing in little details such as the first man standing up called "Pithecanthropus erectus".  The details about how man became three races when the land started separating and how these men went about establishing each other's race was insightful;  I've always wondered about these times and what it was like, and its almost as though Marjory Douglas is giving us a little window into those times.  Then she starts talking about the progression of mammals in prehistoric times and the different species that came about and what they are known as today--this is even more interesting than talking about man!  She talks about the movement of mammals into Florida and into the Everglades region--and how this area was overflowing with such a variety of wildlife and how it was a gathering place because of the location...and then of course she starts to talk about how the number and variety of species of wildlife have been continuously declining and what this could be attributed to (man, of course).  This article caught my attention because I really have never been interested in the Everglades whatsoever, and because I wasn't born in Florida (and hated it most of my life for some reason) I have had no desire to learn the history of Florida.  As I grow older however I feel myself becoming attached to this place I call home, and am more interested in learning about it.