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Alcatraz Prison Or Island

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Alcatraz was a very famous prison located on a island in the San Francisco bay. It was used for many different things over the years. All different types of people also stayed there, and not just the prisoners. Life at the prison was bad in some ways but not as bad as you think. Many did try to escape and failed, but some did succeed. However with every land some wanted it as much as we did. Everyone knows of Alcatraz as a prison, but how did it become what it is today? The word or title Alcatraz is derived from the spanish word Alcatraces (Federal Bureau of Prisons.) . Today we know the term alcatraz to be defined as a pelican or strange bird using a dictionary. The meaning of these words is debated. However it is also what we call Alcatraz Prison or Island. …show more content…

Over time people settled here and in 1850 it was set by presidential order that the island be turned into a military reservation. On the many buildings were built. To that area in the early 1850’s the gold rush started. This major event in our history also led to a massive growth in the San Francisco area. Due to the growth the military in that area were forced to increase protection of the bay. They built a fortress there to ensure that the area and its surroundings were kept in good standards. The plan for the island at that time was to have more than 100 cannons be put there. This fortress was built to protect and is home to the first operational lighthouse on the west coast of the united

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