Alcatraz Island has quite a distinct history. Many people know that Alcatraz served as a federal prison, but most are surprised to know that this island served as a fort. The name Alcatraz was derived from the Spanish word “alcaraz” which means: Spanish fort or palace (1). Built before the Civil War, it served two main purposes. First, it was to guard the San Francisco bay area from enemy ships against a foreign invasion. Second, it …showed first 75 words of 1631 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1631 total…New York: The New Press, 1996 Page 225 5. Coy, Bernard Paul. Alcatraz’46: The Anatomy of a Classic Prison Tragedy. San Rafael, CA: Leswing Press, 1974 Page 6 6. Coy, Bernard Paul. Alcatraz’46: The Anatomy of a Classic Prison Tragedy. Page 10 7. Roberts, John W. Escaping Prison Myths Washington D.C.: The American University Press, 1994 Page 16 8. Roberts, John W. Escaping Prison Myths Page 4 9. Roberts, John W. Escaping Prison Myths Page 8 10. Coy, Bernard Paul. Alcatraz’46: The Anatomy of a Classic Prison Tragedy. Page 35