Response Essay.
The struggle to concur Florida became intense in 1702 when English colonists in Carolinas attacked Spanish Florida and, for the second time, ruined St. Augustine. Although Castillo de San Marcos was under the Spanish reign, the English colonists were able to grab Spanish plots from Tallahassee until Saint Augustine (Frank 46). Many of the natives were enslaved, and many Spanish missions murdered in the process. The British, French, Georgia colonists and the United States were the groups that struggled to control Florida from the late seventeenth and mid-nineteenth centuries.
Spain’s power weakened after many years of battling with the French and British. In 1733, the British had captured Georgia, a region that was bordering Spanish Florida. The Georgia colonists began fighting the Spanish in Florida with the goal of extending the colony’s borders (Miller et al. 33). During the French and Indian War in the mid-1700s, France and Britain battled in North America. The reason for the War was to settle an argument on whether upper Ohio belongs to the French or British Empire. In the French and Indian War, Spain supported the French who lost to the British in 1763, and all their lands in North America was taken by the British. During the ongoing war, Havana had been taken away from Spain by the British (Miller et al. 35). Since Spain wanted Havana, they gave Florida to the British in exchange for Havana. After the British took over Florida, they divided it into two; the West and East Florida. In an attempt to bring people to settle in East Florida, the British promised lands to people who would help in protecting the British colony. West Florida was not good for farming since there were no fertile lands.
The British never controlled Florida for a long time because groups from North Florida were tired of their decree and began struggling for their freedom. The American Revolution war started between the Loyalists and the Patriots. Spain embraced Britain’s anxiety during the War and attacked West Florida in 1779. Britain, in 1781, had surrendered the majority of West Florida to Spain, and at the conclusion of the American Revolution, Spain was in control of the rest. In 1793, a Treaty of Paris was signed to end the American Revolution, and although Spain was in control of Florida, their control did not last long (Miller et al. 34). After a failing attempt to invite settlers to Florida, Spain’s power by the 1800s had become weak. Even after Britain lost control over Florida, they continued to encourage the Creek, Seminole, and Native Americans to battle against American settlers. The British offered the Natives weapons to assist in the fight, which gave rise to the 1812 war.
In 1819 after the signing of the treaty, Spain gave United states the Spanish Florida. Florida officially was part of the United States in 1821, and Andrew Jackson was appointed the first governor. Even after the two Floridas were united to become a territory, peace did not prevail. The white settlers decided they want the land occupied by the Natives and demanded the escape slaves be removed from Florida. This gave rise to the Second Seminole War in 1835 between the United States government and the Seminoles (Miller et al. 35). The struggle between the US government and Seminoles continued and gave rise to the third Seminoles war. The other groups had given up to control Florida, and it was time for the struggle for equality. The main goal of the United States government was to make Florida an industrial area. By the mid-nineteenth century, Florida was the fourth largest state in America in population.
The struggle to control Florida from the 1700s to the 1900s was mainly between France, Britain, and Spain and United states powers. Every nation or group had their reason why they wanted to control Florida. Spain considered Florida as a safeguarding region between its more flourishing colonies to the west and south, and many recently formed enemy European colonies in the North (Frank 34). Spanish Florida was mainly a shelter for escaped slaves and the Natives. The reason why the United States government wanted control over Florida is because it wanted to acquire the land as a territory. The British had many plans for Florida. Their intention to control Florida was with the intention to expand their lands. They were more interested in lands that were fertile for farming. English colonists struggled to control Florida so that they can benefit from Florida’s natural resources by extending the borders. On the other hand, the French wanted Florida so that they can settle down since they were running away from religious harassment.
The British, French, Georgia colonists and the United States were the groups that struggled to control Florida from the late seventeenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. The struggle of the four powers resulted in the emerging of many wars and killings. Finally, the United States government was able to make Florida a territory.
Works Cited
Frank, Andrew K. Before the Pioneers: Indians, Settlers, Slaves, and the Founding of Miami. UP of Florida, 2018.
Miller, D., et al., Florida. Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC, 2018.