Transfer of Spanish Florida to the United States

Transfer of Spanish Florida to the United States. . , In the early 1800s, revolution and unrest loosened Spain's control over its colonies in the western hemisphere. As Spain dealt with greater crises elsewhere, Spanish Florida became vulnerable to British forces and their Native American allies, as well as Americans., Following the Creek War (1813-1814), refugee Creeks and self-emancipated African Americans fled to Spanish Florida. Due to British interference, U.S. General Andrew Jackson invaded and captured Pensacola in late 1814. A few years later, conflicts along the Apalachicola River and Georgia led to the First Seminole War (1817-1818). In response, Jackson invaded Spanish Florida once again and, in the process, captured Pensacola a second time., Unrest spurred by Americans in West and East Florida eventually convinced Spain to withdraw. The Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 started the process of transferring Florida from Spain to the United States. However, political turmoil in Spain delayed the treaty's implementation until 1821. Official ceremonies in Pensacola on July 17, 1821, marked the American acquisition of Florida, and Andrew Jackson was selected to serve as the provisional territorial governor. , This marker is a product of Florida's territorial bicentennial celebration on July 17, 2021, Background image: Plano de la Bahía de Panzacola y sus immediaciones by Vicente Sebastián Pintado, 1815. (Image courtesy of Archives and West Florida History Center at UWF Libraries) , Portraits of three Lower Creek Indians painted in 1834 by George Washington Sully during a visit to West Florida. (Image courtesy of Archives and West Florida History Center at UWF Libraries), The Floridian was one of the first newspapers published in Pensacola after Florida became a territory of the United States. The excerpt to the left is a proclamation from new Florida Governor Andrew Jackson establishing Escambia and St. John's Counties. (Images courtesy of UWF Historic Trust)