Florida history - Research Paper Example

During the early 1860s’ Civil War, Florida became the third state to sever ties with the Union. This paper examines the history of Florida ending 1877. The colonial conflicts witnessed during the Spanish rule kept the population of Florida’s native communities at bare minimum (Wilkinson 1). Groups of Seminole Indians inhabited urban centers along the Suwannee River and in what is currently known as Alachua County. The native Seminoles reared farm animals, which they depended upon as sources of food and transport (Clavin 792).

The communities were also keen on trading them with the foreign settlers. The development of the United States of America into a more modern society also shaped social, political and economic activities in the state. Many Americans thought occupying land in the Spanish Florida was profitable or fashionable. In addition, runaway slaves maintained a steady inflow into the region. St. Augustine’s finest team of warriors was comprised of a 50-member unit of non-whites who had escaped servitude.

At the same time, servitude became the order of the day in Florida as British, French, Cuban and local American settlers established large farms for rice and cotton farming (Wilkinson 1). Like settlers in other American states, Florida’s settlers used the slaves as laborers in the plantations. There were limited periods of tranquility, however. In 1810, a popular rebellion against colonial Spanish began in West Florida. Two years later, American soldiers were in control of sections of East and West Florida during the First Seminoles War.

In 1817 and 1818, Union troops again advanced across the border to reign over the native Seminoles (Dyer 283). A year later, Spain agreed to transfer the two Florida regions under their control to the United States. The agreement was finalized in 1821. Under American control, the East and West Florida were united to form one American zone, which became the modern