The Acquisition of Florida
Traveler Reviews:
Sights to See: Sunny, beautiful, and full
of Native American tribes! Florida is
home to the Seminole Native Tribe full
of swamps, warm humid weather, and
strong agriculture. After Jefferson
claimed Louisiana, he set his sights on
Florida. Spain who had owned it, said
“NO WAY!” Plantation owners wanted
to claim Florida to prevent their slaves
from running away into the free
territory. Against Jefferson’s orders,
Jackson marched into Florida and
arrested, tried and executed many
Spanish people. In response to this raid,
President John Quincy Adams told Spain
to either “govern Florida correctly or
GET OUT!” Afraid of War with the U.S.
Spain “got out” of Florida, and agreed to
earn $5 million from the U.S. in
exchange for the land.
“Florida was awesome! It
was so much fun kicking
out the Spanish
government. I showed
them who was boss!
Manifest destiny, hoorah!”Andrew Jackson
“Florida used to be a
wonderful place full of
farming and prosperity.
Until the U.S. took control.
We no longer can live in
peace on our land, get out
while you can!”-Black
Hawk, Seminole Chief
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Why You Should Visit:
Although Florida was acquired through a violent invasion, it is a wonderful place to come visit. Now that Florida is under U.S.
control, the United States is better able to fulfill its dream of Manifest Destiny (expanding all the way westward to the Pacific
Ocean). With Florida Georgia plantation owners can now live in peace knowing their slaves won’t run away, nor will their
plantations be raided by those pesky Seminole natives. Acquiring Florida also proves to us that as a nation we are strong,
and powerful! Jackson proved that an army of 1,600 could scare the Spanish into leaving our continent, and giving up the
land for a steal. The United States was yet again one step closer to acquiring all of the land on the North American continent.