Chapter 8
The Seminoles and other settlers

Formerly known as the Oconee

They were once part of the creek tribe

First called the Seminole by the British in
1762

They moved south into Florida to separate
themselves from the Creek
The Seminoles

Was a Skirmish or brief fight

Used as an excuse for Andrew Jackson to
March on Pensacola the Spanish seat of
powe

In 1819 Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. fo
r good
First Seminole war

No treaty was signed ending the war

Many Slaves began to seek shelter in
Florida among the Seminoles

As American commissioners and slave
owners sought these slaves the Seminoles
retreated into South Florida (Everglades)

The Gov. sought to attach them to the
Creek tribe and Remove them to the West
Treaty of Camp Moultrie

In 1823 the treaty of Camp Moultrie was
Signed
◦ The Seminoles were moved to an area south of
Tampa bay
◦ They promised to keep runaway slaves out
◦ They were given farm equipment and livestock
◦ Given an annuity for 20 years

The runaway slave continue to seek
shelter with the Seminoles

Starvation forced the Seminoles to violate
the boundaries of the treaty

Whites forced their way into the
reservation often mistreating the tribe and
capturing formerly free African Americans

As with all tribes increased w/ the election
of Andrew Jackson

The gov. demanded the Seminoles be
attached to the creeks
◦ Creeks had teamed w/ whites to fight the
Seminoles
◦ Creeks had raided the tribe to take back
runaway slaves
Removal Demand

1832 the treaty of Payne’s Landing was
signed

This was the first Seminole removal treaty

Those who signed it claimed they were
tricked or forced to sign

The treaty allowed annuities to be paid
only to the creeks
Treaty at Payne's Landing

The Seminoles were to have a scouting
party check out the western lands

the majority of the tribe would have to
agree on the land before removal.

The treaty of fort Gibson was signed by
the scouting party

The treaty stated that only the scouting
party had to agree to the land before
removal

The tribe quickly rejected the new treaty
and considered the treaty of Camp
Moultrie effective until 1843
Treaty of Fort Gibson

Osceola was a Seminole warrior who was
opposed to removal

In Dec 1835 Osceola's band began the
second or great Seminole war

They began a series of ambush attacks,
one of which led to the scalping of the
gov. agent in charge of removing the tribe
Osceola and the Great Seminole
War

Osceola Was captured and died in prison
in 1838

Wild Cat the leader who took over for
Osceola was captured

The war ended in August 1842

In 1844 3,136 Seminoles were in I.T

Most of the Seminoles were removed in
chains

40% of the tribe died during Removal
The Tragedy of the Seminoles

They were under the control of the Creeks
until 1856 when they established their
own government

In 1849 a third Seminole war erupted in
Florida over the murder of a white man

The effort was abandoned in 1859

The Removal of the Seminoles end up
costing $6,500 per Indian

4 out of 5 civilized tribes adopted new
written constitutions( not the Seminoles)

Schools , churches, and other buildings
were built
Progress in the west

Other western tribes were sent to Indian
Territory

Many western tribes fought together
against the government

The Mexican war of 1846-48, and the
California Gold rush of 1848 -49 caused
an increase in whites in the west
Western Movement

Indian territory became a favorite hideout
of outlaws

The area that is now the panhandle of
Oklahoma was once known as no man’s
land

This was the most lawless area in the
region b/c it belonged to no state or
territory
No Man’s Land