West Florida
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219977384
2008-06-17T18:50:06Z
Lord Hidelan
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{{about|the region|the school|University of West Florida}}
[[Image:Spanish_Florida_Map_1803.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Map of East and West Florida in the early 1800s.]]
'''West Florida''' was a region on the north shore of the [[Gulf of Mexico]], which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. Parts of the territory were held at various times by [[France]], [[Spain]], [[United Kingdom|Britain]], and the [[United States]] (as well as the short-lived '''Republic of West Florida''' and the [[Confederate States of America]]). Eventually, the United States assumed control over the entire region, which now forms parts of the [[U.S. states|states]] of [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], [[Alabama]], and [[Florida]].
==A pawn of war==
[[Image:West Florida Map 1767.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The expanded West Florida territory in 1767.]]
West Florida was, from 1682 until 1763, divided between the Spanish, who held an outpost at [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]] as part of their Florida colony, and the French, who garrisoned [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]] as part of the French colony of [[Louisiana (New France)|Louisiana]] (part of [[New France]]). In the treaty negotiations concluding the [[Seven Years' War]] ([[French and Indian War]]) in 1763, Britain received the Spanish colony of Florida and that portion of the French colony of Louisiana lying between the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]] and [[Perdido River|Perdido]] rivers and north of [[Lake Pontchartrain]]. (The French transferred the remainder of Louisiana to Spain by a separate treaty.) The British reorganized this territory into the provinces of [[East Florida]], which consisted of most of the present [[U.S. state]] of [[Florida]], and West Florida, bounded by the Mississippi River and [[Lake Pontchartrain]] in the west, by the 31st parallel on the north and the [[Apalachicola River]] on the east. The British capital of West Florida was in [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]]. The Governor of West Florida in November 1763 was [[George Johnstone (royal navy)|George Johnstone]].
In 1764, the British moved the northern boundary to a line extending from the mouth of the [[Yazoo River]] east to the [[Chattahoochee River]] (32° 22′ north latitude), consisting of approximately the lower third of the present states of [[Mississippi]] and [[Alabama]]. During the [[American Revolutionary War]] the Governor of West Florida was [[Peter Chester]]. The commander of British forces during the American Revolutionary War was [[John Campbell of Strachur (General)|John Campbell of Strachur]].
In the 1783 [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]], which ended the [[American Revolutionary War]], the British agreed to a boundary between the United States and West Florida at 31° north latitude between the Mississippi and Apalachicola Rivers. Britain also ceded both Florida provinces back to Spain (see [[Spanish Florida]]), but did not specify the boundaries. Spain wanted the expanded 1764 boundary, while the [[United States]] demanded that the boundary be at the 31st parallel. [[Jay-Gardoqui Treaty|Negotiations]] in 1785-1786 between [[John Jay]] and Don Diego de Gardoqui failed to reach a satisfactory conclusion. The border was finally resolved in 1795 by the [[Treaty of San Lorenzo]], in which Spain recognized the 31st parallel as the boundary.
In the secret [[Third Treaty of San Ildefonso|Treaty of San Ildefonso]] of 1800, Spain returned France's Louisiana colony; however, the boundaries were not specified. After France sold the [[Louisiana Purchase]] to the United States in 1803, another boundary dispute erupted. The United States claimed the territory from the [[Perdido River]] to the Mississippi River, which had been a part of the old province of Louisiana when the French had ceded it in 1763. The Spanish insisted that they had administered that portion as the province of West Florida and that it was not part of the territory returned to France in 1800.
==A short-lived Republic==
[[Image:Bonnieblue.svg|thumb|300px|right|The [[Bonnie Blue Flag]] of '''Republic of West Florida'''.]]
[[Image:East and West Florida 1810.jpg|thumb|250px|right|East and West Florida in 1810]]
The United States and Spain held long, inconclusive negotiations on the status of West Florida. In the meantime, American settlers established a foothold in the area and resisted Spanish control. British settlers, who had remained, also resented Spanish rule, leading to a [[rebellion]] in 1810 and the establishment for exactly ninety days of the so-called '''Republic of West Florida'''.
On [[September 23]], after meetings beginning in June, rebels overcame the Spanish garrison at [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], and unfurled the flag of the new republic: a single white star on a blue field. This flag was made by Melissa Johnson, wife of Major Isaac Johnson, the commander of the West Florida Dragoons. It would later become known as the "[[Bonnie Blue Flag]]". [http://home.freeuk.net/gazkhan/blank_national.htm]
The boundaries of the Republic of West Florida included all territory south of the 31st parallel, west of the [[Perdido River]], and east of the [[Mississippi River]], but north of [[Lake Pontchartrain]]. The southern boundary was the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. It included the lower portions of what is now Alabama; the Mississippi counties of [[Hancock County, Mississippi|Hancock]], [[Pearl River County, Mississippi|Pearl River]], [[Harrison County, Mississippi|Harrison]], [[Stone County, Mississippi|Stone]], [[Jackson County, Mississippi|Jackson]], and [[George County, Mississippi|George]], as well as the southernmost portions of [[Lamar County, Mississippi|Lamar]], [[Forrest County, Mississippi|Forrest]], [[Perry County, Mississippi|Perry]], and [[Wayne County, Mississippi|Wayne]] counties; and the Louisiana [[List of Louisiana parishes|parishes]] of [[East Baton Rouge Parish|East Baton Rouge]], [[East Feliciana Parish|East]] and [[West Feliciana Parish|West Feliciana]], [[Livingston Parish|Livingston]], [[St. Helena Parish|St. Helena]], [[Tangipahoa Parish|Tangipahoa]], [[St. Tammany Parish|St. Tammany]] and [[Washington Parish|Washington]]. Despite its name, none of present-day Florida lay within its borders. The capital of the Republic of West Florida was [[St. Francisville, Louisiana|St. Francisville]].
The Constitution of West Florida was based largely on the [[Constitution of the United States|US Constitution]], and divided the government into three branches: executive, judicial and legislative. The legislature consisted of a Senate and House of Representatives. The Governor was chosen by the legislature. According to the constitution, the official name of the nation was the "State of Florida".
The first and only governor was [[Fulwar Skipwith]], a former American diplomat who had helped negotiate the [[Louisiana Purchase]]. In his inaugural address, Skipwith mentioned the possibility of annexation to the United States:
{{cquote|…wherever the voice of justice and humanity can be heard, our declaration, and our just rights will be respected. But the blood which flows in our veins, like the tributary streams which form and sustain the father of rivers, encircling our delightful country, will return if not impeded, to the heart of our parent country. The genius of [[George Washington|Washington]], the immortal founder of the liberties of America, stimulates that return, and would frown upon our cause, should we attempt to change its course.}}
[[Reuben Kemper]] led a small force in an attempt to capture [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]] from the Spanish, but the expedition ended in failure. The marching song of the West Floridian army included the lyrics:
:''West Floriday, that lovely nation,''
:''Free from king and tyranny,''
:''Thru’ the world shall be respected,''
:''For her true love of Liberty.''
==Annexation==
[[Image:West Florida Map.png|thumb|right|300px|The Republic of West Florida, today divided among three states.]]
On [[October 27]], [[1810]], parts of West Florida were annexed by [[wikisource:Respecting taking Possession of Part of Louisiana.|proclamation]] of [[U.S. President]] [[James Madison]], who claimed the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase. At first, Skipwith and the West Florida government were opposed to the proclamation, preferring to negotiate terms to join the Union. However, [[William C.C. Claiborne]], who was sent to take possession of the territory, refused to recognize the legitimacy of the West Florida government. Skipwith proclaimed that he was ready to "die in defense of the Lone Star flag." However, Skipwith and the legislature eventually backed down, and agreed to accept Madison's proclamation.
Possession was taken of St. Francisville on [[December 6]], [[1810]], and of [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]] on [[December 10]], [[1810]]. These portions were incorporated into the newly formed [[Orleans Territory]]. The U.S. annexed the [[Mobile District]] of West Florida to the [[Mississippi Territory]] in 1812. Spain continued to dispute the area, though the United States gradually increased the area it occupied until Spain ceded all of Florida to the United States in the [[Adams-Onís Treaty]] in 1819. The United States organized [[Florida Territory]], consisting of most of East Florida and a small portion of West Florida, on [[March 30]], [[1822]].
The portions of West Florida, now located in Louisiana, are today known as the [[Florida parishes]]. The Republic of West Florida Historical Museum is located in [[Jackson, Louisiana|Jackson]]. In 1993, the [[Louisiana State Legislature]] renamed [[Interstate 12]], the full length of which is contained in the Florida Parishes, as the "Republic of West Florida Parkway."
In 2002, Leila Lee Roberts, a great-granddaughter of Fulwar Skipwith, donated the original copy of the constitution of the West Florida Republic and supporting papers to the [[Louisiana]] State Archives.
==See also==
* [[French colonization of the Americas]]
* [[British colonization of the Americas]]
* [[Spanish colonization of the Americas]]
==References==
* Stanley Clisby Arthur, ''The Story of the West Florida Rebellion'', St. Francisville Democrat, 1935, paperback, 164 pages (Several copies are available on [[Advanced Book Exchange|ABE]]); Pioneer Publishing, paperback reprint, ISBN 1-885480-47-4 (probably not available)
*David A. Bice, ''The Original Lone Star Republic: Scoundrels, Statesmen and Schemers of the 1810 West Florida Rebellion'', Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2004.
*I. J. Cox, ''The West Florida Controversy'' (1918, reprinted 1967)
* Andrew McMichael, "The Kemper 'Rebellion': Filibustering and Resident Anglo American Loyalty in Spanish West Florida," ''Louisiana History'', vol. 43, no. 2 (Spring 2002), p. 140.
*Andrew McMichael, ''Atlantic Loyalties: Americans in Spanish West Florida, 1785-1810'', University of Georgia Press, 2008.
==External links==
* [http://www.independent.org/publications/working_papers/article.asp?id=1478 The U.S. Takeover of West Florida]
* [http://www.insidenorthside.com/feb_mar03/art13.htm West Florida by Ann Gilbert]
* [http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/1800/m010802.htm Map of West Florida, 1806]
* [http://www.loblollywritershouse.com/llwhbritishwestflorida.html Historical Background Material for the British Period]
[[Category:Former regions and territories of the United States]]
[[Category:History of Alabama]]
[[Category:History of Florida]]
[[Category:History of Louisiana]]
[[Category:History of Mississippi]]
[[Category:Former political entities in North America|West Florida, Republic of]]
[[Category:British North America]]
[[Category:International territorial disputes of the United States]]
[[Category:Short-lived states]]
[[Category:Former countries in North America]]
[[Category:Former unrecognized countries]]
[[Category:Former republics]]
[[Category:1810 establishments]]
[[Category:1810 disestablishments]]
[[da:Republikken West Florida]]
[[de:Westflorida]]
[[fr:République de Floride-Occidentale]]
[[nl:Republiek West-Florida]]
[[ja:西フロリダ]]
[[no:Vest-Florida]]
[[pl:Floryda Zachodnia]]
[[pt:Flórida Ocidental]]
[[sv:Republiken Västra Florida]]
[[it:Florida occidentale]]