The Seminole Wars First Seminole War After the American Revolution, Spain regained control of Florida from Britain as part of the Treaty of Paris. When the British evacuated Florida, Spanish colonists as well as settlers from the newly formed United States came pouring in.
Full Answer
What happened in the First Seminole War?
First Seminole War. Written By: First Seminole War, conflict between U.S. armed forces and the Seminole Indians of Florida that is generally dated to 1817–18 and that led Spain to cede Florida to the United States. The Seminoles were largely of Creek origin and lived in villages in northern Florida.
Where did the Seminole tribe come from?
The Seminole Tribe primarily came from the Creek Indians who had moved into Florida from southern Georgia and Alabama. In 1805 thru 1816 there was increasing friction between white settlers, Florida Indians and the Creek Confederation. The Seminoles began hiding runaway slaves who had escaped from southern plantations into Spanish Florida.
What happened to the Seminoles after the Indian Removal Act?
Future U.S. President Andrew Jackson invaded then-Spanish Florida, attacked several key locations, and pushed the Seminoles farther south into Florida. After passage of the Indian Removal Act in 1830, the U.S. government attempted to relocate Seminoles to Oklahoma, causing yet another war -- the Second Seminole War.
Why were the Seminoles important to the American Revolution?
During the American Revolution (1775–1783), the British—who controlled Florida—recruited Seminoles to raid frontier settlements in Georgia. The confusion of war allowed more slaves to escape to Florida. The British promised slaves freedom for fighting with them. These events made the new United States enemies of the Seminoles.
Where did the Seminole War take place?
army to attack the tribe in the First Seminole War (1817-1818), which took place in Florida and southern Georgia.
When did the Seminole War break out?
A Third Seminole War broke out in 1855, when conflicts -- largely over land -- arose between whites and some Seminoles who remained in Florida. Constant military patrols and rewards for the capture of Indians reduced the Seminole population to about 200 when the Third Seminole War ended in 1858.
What was the second Seminole war?
The Second Seminole War. The Treaty of Payne's Landing , signed by a small number of Seminoles in May 1832, required Indians to give up their Florida lands within three years and move west. When the U.S. Army arrived in 1835 to enforce the treaty, the Indians were ready for war.
What was the Spanish colony of Florida?
After the American Revolution (1776-1783), Spain regained control of Florida from Britain as part of the Treaty of Paris. When the British evacuated Florida, Spanish colonists as well as settlers from the newly formed United States came pouring in. Many of these new residents were lured by favorable Spanish terms for acquiring property, called land grants. Even Seminoles were encouraged to set up farms, because they provided a buffer between Spanish Florida and the United States. Escaped slaves also entered Florida, trying to reach a place where their U.S. masters had no authority over them.
Why were Seminoles encouraged to set up farms?
Even Seminoles were encouraged to set up farms, because they provided a buffer between Spanish Florida and the United States.
How many soldiers survived the Seminole ambush?
Only one man of that army detachment survived the ambush. The campaigns of the Second Seminole War were an outstanding demonstration of guerrilla warfare by the Seminole. TheMicos Jumper, Alligator, Micanopy and Osceola, leading less than 3,000 warriors, were pitted against four U.S. generals and more than 30,000 troops.
When did the Seminoles move to Oklahoma?
In 1842 , a nominal end to the hostilities arrived, though no peace treaty was ever signed. By this time most Seminoles had been moved from Florida, relocated to Indian Territory today's Oklahoma.
What did the Seminoles do to the West Florida Creeks?
The Seminoles made no commitment on slavery or alleged stolen cattle, two important issues.. The more militant braves never complied with the Treaty of Moultrie Creek.
How did Osceola die?
Osceola refused to accept any Oklahoma agreement so he was transported to Four Moultrie's prison outside Charleston, South Carolina, where the great Seminole warrior died of throat inflammation. Even in death, Osceola was attacked as soldiers beheaded his body before burial.
How long did the Seminoles delay Florida statehood?
The Seminoles had delayed Florida statehood for thirty years. They had never surrendered, each person allowed to decide whether to accept a treaty. Now the frontier was ready for settlement and only the Civil War would delay the potential growth of this last frontier.
Why did the Seminoles flee to the coast?
Since the Florida militia could not assure protection to farmers and planters, homesteaders south of Gainesville fled to the safety of the coast. The Government decided the Seminoles had to be surrounded by a ring of small wooden forts where U.S. troops could operate in protecting a region.
What event hindered the development of the Territory of Florida and slowed the effort of Floridians to?
No event hindered the development of the Territory of Florida and slowed the effort of Floridians to gain statehood more than the Seminole Wars. The conflict between white man and Indian in Florida became the longest continuous war in which the United States Government engaged an enemy. To the Seminole, it is a war that never officially ended.
Where was Fort Dallas built?
Federal troops built Fort Dallas on the banks of the Miami River to block the route into the Everglades on the east and constructed Fort Dulaney at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee to supply Fort Myers and Fort Denaud up the river.
What tribes moved southward in the 1700s?
In the mid-1700's Creeks, predominately of the Hitchiti -speaking Oconee tribe, left Western Georgia and moved southward to the Gainesville prairies.
How many acres of land did the Seminole Indians claim?
In 1819 Florida was sold by the Spanish to the United States. There were about 5,000 Seminole Indians who claimed Florida’s 32 million acres of land as their own.
What was the bloodiest war in the history of the United States?
The Second Seminole War was the bloodiest and longest in United States history. In 1842, the U.S. government withdrew and the Seminole Indians never signed a peace treaty. Chief Billy Bowlegs lead an attack in December 1855 beginning the Third Seminole War.
What tribes were involved in the Battle of Osceola?
The war Chiefs of Osceola, Alligator and Jumper were all involved, resulting in the only time when U.S. soldiers were held siege by the Indians. After this major battle the Seminoles broke into small guerilla bands and moved south attacking by surprise and disappearing into the swamps.
What does the name Seminole mean?
On April 25, 1913 the Orange was sliced and the word Seminole was chosen as our new county name, which means run-away just like the Seminoles. 1878 -1913 Black Schools In Seminole County. Directions To Seminole County Cemeteries. Early Post Offices Of Seminole County.
What is the county name of Seminole County?
From 1845 to 1913 the area was known as Orange County. On April 25, 1913 the Orange was sliced and the word Seminole was chosen as our new county name, which means run-away just like the Seminoles.
Where did the Seminole tribe come from?
The Seminole Tribe primarily came from the Creek Indians who had moved into Florida from southern Georgia and Alabama. In 1805 thru 1816 there was increasing friction between white settlers, Florida Indians and the Creek Confederation. The Seminoles began hiding runaway slaves who had escaped from southern plantations into Spanish Florida.
Who was killed in the Battle of Osceola?
On February 28, 1836 General Edmund Gaines with 1,100 troops from New Orleans were crossing the Withlacoochee River, he also was attacked by Osceola with more than 1,500 warriors. Lt. James F. Izard was killed during the battle; when the fort was constructed it was named Ft. Izard in his honor during this 10 day battle. This was the only battle involving the entire force of Seminole warriors. The war Chiefs of Osceola, Alligator and Jumper were all involved, resulting in the only time when U.S. soldiers were held siege by the Indians.
What was the second Seminole War?
The Second Seminole War (1835–1842) began as a result of the United States unilaterally voiding the Treaty of Moultrie Creek and demanding that all Seminoles relocate to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma pursuant to the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
How many Seminoles remained in Florida?
Though there was no official peace treaty, several hundred Seminoles remained in Southwest Florida after active conflict wound down. The Third Seminole War (1855–1858) was precipitated as an increasing number of settlers in Southwest Florida led to increasing tension with Seminoles living in the area.
What was the name of the beach in Florida that was occupied by the Seminoles?
San Felasco Hammock. Wahoo Swamp. Lake Okeechobee. Jupiter Inlet. Pine Island Ridge. The First Seminole War (c. 1816–1819) began with General Andrew Jackson 's excursions into Spanish Florida against the Seminoles after the conclusion of the War of 1812.
How much did the Second Seminole War cost?
The Second Seminole War may have cost as much as $40,000,000. More than 40,000 regular U.S. military, militiamen and volunteers served in the war. This Indian war cost the lives of 1,500 soldiers, mostly from disease. It is estimated that more than 300 regular U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps personnel were killed in action, along with 55 volunteers. There is no record of the number of Seminole killed in action, but many homes and Indian lives were lost. A great many Seminole died of disease or starvation in Florida, on the journey west, and after they reached Indian Territory. An unknown but apparently substantial number of white civilians were killed by Seminole during the war.
What was the strategy of the United States in 1858?
Once again, the United States military strategy was to target Seminole civilians by destroying their food supply. By 1858, most of the remaining Seminoles, war weary and facing starvation, acquiesced to being removed to the Indian Territory in exchange for promises of safe passage and cash payments.
How long did the Seminole War last?
There is no consensus about the beginning and ending dates for the First Seminole War. The U.S. Army Infantry indicates that it lasted from 1814 until 1819. The U.S. Navy Naval Historical Center gives dates of 1816–1818. Another Army site dates the war as 1817–1818. Finally, the unit history of the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery describes the war as occurring solely in 1818.
What is the name of the ranch in the Alachua region?
Because one of the best-known ranches was called la Chua , the region became known as the " Alachua Prairie ". The Spanish in Saint Augustine began calling the Alachua Creek Cimarrones, which roughly meant "wild ones" or "runaways". This was the probable origin of the term "Seminole".
What were the five tribes of the southeast?
The five “civilized” tribes of the southeast were to be placed in what is now Oklahoma. One by one, the native nations were forced to sign treaties agreeing to emigration. In 1832 the Seminole were pressured into signing the Treaty of Payne’s Landing, in which they agreed to leave Florida within three years.
What was included in the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
The treaty also included annuities and other benefits that were to last for twenty years. With reluctance and with little help from the government, the Seminoles slowly moved onto their new homeland. In 1830, under intense pressure from President Andrew Jackson, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act.
What led to the outbreak of hostilities in late 1817?
Cross-border raids by both parties, the continued presence of runaway slaves among the Indians, and a strong desire on the part of the United States to possess the peninsula all led to an outbreak of hostilities in late 1817.
Why did Jackson return to Tennessee?
Leaving the army in possession of the city, Jackson returned to Tennessee.
How many Seminoles were killed in the Indian War?
Losses included nearly 1,500 men in the army, about 50 in the navy, and uncounted hundreds of volunteers and militiamen. Over 3,000 Seminoles were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to inhospitable lands in what is now Oklahoma.
What were the three Seminole Wars?
Florida’s three Seminole Wars were the longest, costliest, and deadliest of America’s Indian Wars. Taking place between the War of 1812 and the Civil War, all three conflicts drew wide national attention. They were also the only Indian wars in which slavery played a key part.
Why did Andrew Jackson invade Florida?
The War Department dispatched General Andrew Jackson to invade Florida for the purpose of punishing the Seminole and driving them out of north Florida. In March 1818 Jackson entered Florida with over 3,000 men, about half of whom were allied Creek Indians.
Why did the Seminole War happen?
The First Seminole War erupted over forays staged by U.S. authorities to recapture runaway black slaves living among Seminole bands, who stiffly resisted. In 1818, Major General Andrew Jackson was dispatched with an army of more than 3,000 soldiers to Florida to punish the Seminole.
What was the first Seminole war?
First Seminole War. In the early 18th century, bands of Muskogean-speaking Lower Creek migrated to Florida from Georgia. They became known as the Seminole (literally "separatists"). Floridian territory was nominally under Spanish sway; the Spanish permitted the Seminole to settle there in order to create a buffer zone between their sphere ...
Where did the natives live in the 19th century?
The natives occupied rich lands in northern Florida that were hungrily eyed by American settlers in adjacent Georgia, although Florida still belonged to Spain at the beginning of the 19th century.
Who captured the Spanish fort of Pensacola?
After liquidating several native settlements, then executing two British traders ( Arbuthnot and Ambrister) held for reportedly encouraging Seminole resolve, General Jackson captured the Spanish fort of Pensacola in May 1818 and deposed the government.
Why did the Seminole tribe move to Florida?
Conflicts with Europeans and other tribes caused them to seek new lands to live in peace. Groups of Lower Creeks moved to Florida to get away from the dominance of Upper Creeks.
What did the Seminoles name mean?
The 1770s is when Florida Indians collectively became known as Seminole, a name meaning "wild people" or "runaway.". In addition to Creeks, Seminoles included Yuchis, Yamasses and a few aboriginal remnants. The population also increased with runaway slaves who found refuge among the Indians.
What did the Seminoles call themselves?
The Seminoles of Florida call themselves the "Unconquered People," descendants of just 300 Indians who managed to elude capture by the U.S. army in the 19th century.
How did the Seminole tribe improve their independence?
The Seminole tribe improved their independence by adopting a constitutional form of government. This allowed them to act more independently. So on July 21, 1957, tribal members voted in favor of a Seminole Constitution which established the federally recognized Seminole Tribe of Florida.
How many Seminoles were left in Florida?
That left roughly 200 to 300 Seminoles remaining in Florida, hidden in the swamps. For the next two decades, little was seen of Florida Seminole.
Why did the Lower Creeks move to Florida?
Groups of Lower Creeks moved to Florida to get away from the dominance of Upper Creeks. Some Creeks were searching for rich, new fields to plant corn, beans and other crops. For a while, Spain even encouraged these migrations to help provide a buffer between Florida and the British colonies.
What are the Seminoles' main industries?
The Seminoles work hard to be economically independent. To do this, they've jumped into a number of different industries. Tourism and bingo profits pay for infrastructure and schools on their reservations, while citrus groves and cattle have replaced early 20th-century trade in animal hides and crafts as the tribe's primary revenue sources.
What was the third Seminole war?
The Third Seminole War (1855–58) resulted from renewed efforts to track down the Seminole remnant remaining in Florida. It caused little bloodshed and ended with the United States paying the most resistant band of refugees to go West. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now.
Who invaded Florida in 1819?
Under General Andrew Jackson, U.S. military forces invaded the area, scattering the villagers, burning their towns, and seizing Spanish-held Pensacola and St. Marks. As a result, in 1819 Spain was induced to cede its Florida territory under the terms of the Transcontinental Treaty.
What was the name of the battle that took place in 1835?
December 28, 1835 - 1842. Battle of Lake Okeechobee. December 25, 1837 - December 28, 1837. keyboard_arrow_right. The Second Seminole War (1835–42) followed the refusal of most Seminoles to abandon the reservation that had been specifically established for them north of Lake Okeechobee and to relocate west of the Mississippi River.
The First Seminole War
The Second Seminole War
- The Treaty of Payne's Landing, signed by a small number of Seminoles in May 1832, required Indians to give up their Florida lands within three years and move west. When the U.S. Army arrived in 1835 to enforce the treaty, the Indians were ready for war. As Major Francis Dade marched from Fort Brooke toward Fort King, 180 Seminole warriors led by Micanopy, Alligator a…
The Third Seminole War
- A Third Seminole War broke out in 1855, when conflicts -- largely over land -- arose between whites and some Seminoles who remained in Florida. Constant military patrols and rewards for the capture of Indians reduced the Seminole population to about 200 when the Third Seminole War ended in 1858.
The Seminole Wars of Florida
The Treaty of Moultrie Creek
- InSeptember of 1823, the next Territorial GovernorWilliam F. Duval met the Seminoles atMoultrie Creek on the St. Johns River.Duval proposed the creation of a reservation area in the southern interior ofthe peninsula of Florida as the solution for the twopeoples. After much contriving, most chiefs accepted the plan, provided theWest Florida Creeks were given a treaty for land along the …
The Second Seminole War
- Theinspectors would sign theTreaty of Fort Gibson(Oklahoma) after their visit to Oklahoma. It is doubtfulif the Seminoles fully understood the full extent of the treaty, thanks it isbelieved to the bribing of interpreters by Government agents. The Seminoleswere given a tourist tour of only the most desirable areas of the reservation.They were not told they would share their reservation wit…
Overview
The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were three related military conflicts in Florida between the United States and the Seminole, citizens of a Native American nation which formed in the region during the early 1700s. Hostilities commenced about 1816 and continued through 1858, with two periods of uneasy truce between active conflict. The Seminole Wars were the l…
Background
The original indigenous peoples of Florida declined significantly in number after the arrival of European explorers in the early 1500s, mainly because the Native Americans had little resistance to diseases newly introduced from Europe. Spanish suppression of native revolts further reduced the population in northern Florida until the early 1600s, at which time the establishment of a series of Spa…
First Seminole War
There is no consensus about the beginning and ending dates for the First Seminole War. The U.S. Army Infantry indicates that it lasted from 1814 until 1819. The U.S. Navy Naval Historical Center gives dates of 1816–1818. Another Army site dates the war as 1817–1818. Finally, the unit history of the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery describes the war as occurring solely in 1818.
First Interbellum
Spain ceded Florida to the United States in 1819 with the Adams–Onís Treaty, and the United States took possession in 1821. Effective government was slow in coming to Florida. General Andrew Jackson was appointed military governor in March 1821, but he did not arrive in Pensacola until July. He resigned the post in September and returned home in October, having spent just three months i…
Second Seminole War
As Florida officials realized the Seminole would resist relocation, preparations for war began. Settlers fled to safety as Seminole attacked plantations and a militia wagon train. Two companies totaling 110 men under the command of Major Francis L. Dade were sent from Fort Brooke to reinforce Fort King in mid-December 1835. On the morning of December 28, the train of troops was amb…
Second Interbellum
Peace had come to Florida. The Indians were mostly staying on the reservation. Groups of ten or so men would visit Tampa to trade. Squatters were moving closer to the reservation, however, and in 1845 President James Polk established a 20-mile (32 km) wide buffer zone around the reservation. No land could be claimed within the buffer zone, no title would be issued for land there, and the U.S. Marshal would remove squatters from the buffer zone upon request. In 1845, …
Third Seminole War
By late 1855, there were more than 700 Army troops stationed on the Florida peninsula. In fall of 1855, a group of Seminole gathered near Taylor Creek, on the north-east side of Lake Okeechobee. There it was generally agreed that they would strike back at the increasing pressure being put on them and attack when an opportunity presented itself. According to one account, a warrior named Tiger, possibly Thlocklo Tustenuggee (Tom Tiger), argued in favor of military action while anoth…
Aftermath
When Colonel Loomis declared an end to the Third Seminole War, the government believed that only about 100 Seminoles were left in Florida, though there were probably more than that. In December 1858, the US recruited two bands totaling 75 people, who agreed to removal to the West; they were shipped out on February 15, 1859. Seminoles remained in Florida, however. Sam Jones' band was living in southeast Florida, inland from Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Chipco's ba…