Since the construction of the Overseas Highway 1923 on the Florida Keys gilt Key West as the southernmost point of the United States">US-american mainland. In 1513 when the Spaniard Juan Ponce de León Discovered Florida, the peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico still marks the northernmost point of what was then the western hemisphere. The conqueror baptizes the patch of earth, which he considers an island, with the name “Las Floridas“.
The Spaniard does not find treasures in the jungle wilderness with its swamps. That the countless prey-greedy alligators are not the only inhabitants there, as he suspected Ponce de Leon found when he returns in 1521 to take possession of Florida for Spain. When local warriors attack him, he is hit by a poison arrow, which shortly afterwards kills him. In the next few centuries the Spaniards founded a few forts, but showed little interest in settling the inhospitable colony. The indigenous population is almost dying out due to epidemics that have been introduced.
Spain powerless against US invasion
Florida comes into the focus of international politics when Spain’s power in Latin America is dwindling due to revolts and independence movements. In 1803, Emperor Napoleon I sold the French colony of Louisiana in southern North America to the United States for 15 million US dollars (approx. 233 million dollars today). Of the “Louisiana Purchase“doubled the territory of the USA and initiates the conquest of the remaining Indian territories as well as the territories east of the Mississippi still ruled by Spain. The US government subsequently derived its claims to Florida from the largest land deal in history.
In the previous century, almost deserted Florida became a refuge for runaway blacks from the slave-owning states and expelled Indian tribes. The resulting mixed people have the Spaniards “cimarrón“called, which means” wild people “or” refugees. “This is where the term Seminoles is formed. In March 1818, US General moves out Andrew Jackson fielded against the Seminoles to attack white settlers in Georgia to prevent. The weakened colonial power Spain can hardly do anything to counter the invasion, as the historian Alexander Emmerich explains: “Napoleon had also conquered Spain during his wars in Europe and the administration of New Spain was now in the hands of Bonapartists.”
Seminoles have to give way to white settlers
While General Jackson occupies the Spanish forts in Florida, uses President James Monroe success for an expansive foreign policy. In 1819 his foreign minister and successor acted John Quincy Adams with his Spanish counterpart Luis de Onís an agreement that regulates the border between the two states in southern North America. With the in Washington signed contract, Spain ceded its Florida colony to the USA. In addition, the government in Madrid renounces all areas beyond Rocky Mountainsthat are north of California.
In return, the United States pays $ 5 million for settlers’ claims against Spain, leaving its claims west of Texas Sabine River fall. In July 1821 the so-called Adams-OnisContract in force and Jackson is named the first US military governor in Florida. The Seminoles have to move to reservations. Several tribes fight vehemently against their expulsion, which leads to the second USA war against the Seminoles in 1835. Florida became the 27th state in the United States in March 1845, after nearly 4,000 people were deported to northern reservations.
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Due date on 07/11/2016: 50 years ago: The footballWM starts in England
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