| Florida was not counted as one of the original 13 colonies. This was primarily because of the fact that it was a prize of war rather than one settled by English colonists. The British took possession of Florida in 1763 as the result of the Seven Years War. Britain did return Minorca to the Spanish as part of the agreement. The Spanish also got some compensation in that they took control of New Oreleans and the French territories West of the Mississippi. This was quite a good strategic fit for both sides. Britain consolidated its control of the Atlantic seaboard and reinforced its Caribbean territories whilst Spain could consolidate their Central American colonies as a contiguous land mass. The British colony of West Florida, with its capital at Pensacola, included all of the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River, as well as southwestern Alabama, southern Mississippi, and parts of modern Louisiana. The British introduced the slave-based cotton plantation economy and encouraged new settlement by Protestants and black slaves. British East Florida, with its capital at Saint Augustine, included the rest of modern Florida, including the eastern part of the Panhandle. Florida did not join the United States at the end of the Revolutionary War. Rather, it was handed back to Spain who kept it for another three decades. | FAQs
The so-called “13 original colonies” that would lead to the creation of the United States exclude the 14th and 15th colonies of East Florida and West Florida. St. Augustine, Florida, was an active city for more than four decades before the English established a settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.
Was Florida ever a colony? ›
Florida was under colonial rule by Spain from the 16th century to the 19th century, and briefly by Great Britain during the 18th century (1763–1783). Neither Spain nor Britain maintained a large military or civilian population. It became a territory of the United States in 1821.
Why was Spanish Florida unsuccessful as a colony? ›
A number of missions, settlements, and small forts existed in the 16th and to a lesser extent in the 17th century; they were eventually abandoned due to pressure from the expanding English and French colonial settlements, the collapse of the native populations, and the general difficulty in becoming agriculturally or ...
How successful were Spain's attempts to colonize Florida? ›
Spain's claim to Florida was long-standing and costly, because the Indians of Florida destroyed nearly every expedition (entrada) between 1513 and 1568. Of approximately 80 men who went with Juan Ponce de León to conquer Florida, nearly all died in battle or from wounds, including the entrada's leader.
Who owned Florida until 1821? ›
Minister Onís and Secretary Adams reached an agreement whereby Spain ceded East Florida to the United States and renounced all claim to West Florida. Spain received no compensation, but the United States agreed to assume liability for $5 million in damage done by American citizens who rebelled against Spain.
Who owned Florida in 1783? ›
In the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the war, the British ceded both Floridas to Spain. The same treaty recognized the independence of the United States, directly to the north.
Who named Florida? ›
Due to the landscape's lush vegetation and the Catholic holiday Pascua Florida (Feast of Flowers) during which it was "discovered," Ponce de León named the region La Florida.
Who found Florida first? ›
Written records about life in Florida began with the arrival of the Spanish explorer and adventurer Juan Ponce de León in 1513. Sometime between April 2 and April 8, Ponce de León waded ashore on the northeast coast of Florida, possibly near present-day St. Augustine.
How did Spain lose Florida? ›
During the Seven Years War (French and Indian War), the British had captured Spanish Cuba and the Philippines. In order to get these valuable colonies back, Spain was forced to give up Florida. Signed on February 10, 1763, the First Treaty of Paris, gave all of Florida to the British. The Spanish of St.
Who claimed Florida? ›
Near present-day St. Augustine, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León comes ashore on the Florida coast, and claims the territory for the Spanish crown. Native Americans inhabited the area that became known as Florida for thousands of years before any European contact.
Revolution Florida was a new colony and had been so well treated that she had not the same causes for complaint against the mother country that the older colonies had. She remained under British rule through the Revolutionary War, and gave refuge to many English sympathizers f from Georgia and South Carolina.
Why did the US want Florida? ›
The United States now wanted control of Florida. Spain's attempt to bring settlers to Florida failed, and by 1800 Spain's control of Florida had weakened. Gaining control of Florida for the United States would mean gaining control of the Mississippi River. That was an important route for trade.
Why did Spain give up Florida? ›
Florida had become a burden to Spain, which could not afford to send settlers or man garrisons, so Madrid decided to cede the territory to the United States in exchange for settling the boundary dispute along the Sabine River in Spanish Texas.
Why was 1513 a significant year in the history of Florida? ›
Historians credit Juan Ponce de Leon, the first governor of the Island of Puerto Rico, with the discovery of Florida in 1513. While on an exploratory trip in search of the fabled Bimini he sighted the eastern coast of Florida on Easter Sunday, which fell on March 27 that year.
How did Spain get Florida back? ›
After 20 years of British rule, however, Florida was returned to Spain as part of the second Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolution in 1783.
What are the 13 colonies of the United States? ›
The 13 original states were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The 13 original states were the first 13 British colonies. British colonists traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe.
Was Florida the 14th colony? ›
In his new book “Fourteenth Colony – The Forgotten Story of the Gulf South during America's Revolutionary Era,” Bunn tells the story of the colony of West Florida, whose boundaries included parts of four current southern states.
What was the 13th colony of the United States? ›
Georgia—the last of the original 13 colonies—was settled in 1733.
