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, 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 states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Image File history File links Spanish Florida. ... Image File history File links Spanish Florida. ... The Gulf of Mexico is a major body of water bordered and nearly landlocked by North America. ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans February 4, 1861 until captured May... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ... State nickname: Pelican State Other U.S. States Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans Governor Kathleen Blanco (D) Official languages None; English and French de facto Area 134,382 km² (31st)  - Land 112,927 km²  - Water 21,455 km² (16%) Population (2000)  - Population 4,468,976 (22nd)  - Density 39. ... State nickname: Magnolia State Other U.S. States Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Governor Haley Barbour (R) Official languages English Area 125,546 km² (32nd)  - Land 121,606 km²  - Water 3,940 km² (3%) Population (2000)  - Population 2,697,243 (31st)  - Density 23. ... State nickname: Camellia State, The Heart of Dixie¹, Yellowhammer State Other U.S. States Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Governor Bob Riley (R) Official languages English Area 84,360 mi²/135,765 km² (30th)  - Land 81,664 mi²/131,426 km²  - Water 2,696 mi²/4,338 km² (3. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ...

A pawn of war

The expanded West Florida territory in 1767.

West Florida was from 1682 until 1763 a part of the French colony of Louisiana. At the end of the French and Indian War, Britain received the Spanish colony of Florida and a portion of the French colony of Louisiana lying between the Mississippi and Perdido rivers and north of Lake Pontchartrain. The British organized 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. Image File history File links Map of West Florida in 1767. ... Image File history File links Map of West Florida in 1767. ... 1767 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Events March 11 – Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 - Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Louisiana (French language: La Louisiane) was the name of an administrative district of New France in the 17th and 18th centuries. ... The French and Indian War is the American name for the decisive nine-year conflict (1754-1763) in North America between Great Britain and France, which was one of the theatres of the Seven Years War. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint Louis¹: 5,500 m³/s Vicksburg²: 16,800 m³/s Baton Rouge³: 12,800 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin  Lake Itasca Mouth  Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... The Perdido River is a river in the U.S. states of Alabama and Florida, approximately 60 mi (97 km) long. ... Lake Pontchartrain is the second largest salt-water lake in the United States, and the largest lake in southeastern Louisiana. ... East Florida was originally a part of the Spanish colony of Florida. ... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... Lake Pontchartrain is the second largest salt-water lake in the United States, and the largest lake in southeastern Louisiana. ... View of the Apalachicola River near Fort Gadsden, Florida. ... This article is about the inland city of Pensacola, Florida. ...

In 1767, the British moved the northern boundary to a line extending from the mouth of the Yazoo River east to the Chattahoochee River (32° 28′ north latitude), consisting of approximately the lower third of the present states of Mississippi and Alabama. In the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolutionary War, the British ceded both Florida provinces back to Spain, but without specifying the boundaries. The Spanish wanted the expanded 1764 boundary, while the United States demanded the old boundary at the 31st parallel. In the Treaty of San Lorenzo of 1795, Spain recognized the 31st parallel as the boundary. 1767 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi and the second longest tributary of the Mississippi River that flows into that river from the east (the longest is the Ohio River). ... The Chattahoochee River runs from the Chattahoochee Spring in the mountains of northeast Georgia, southwestward by Atlanta and through its suburbs, then turns southward to form the southern half of the Georgia/Alabama state line. ... State nickname: Magnolia State Other U.S. States Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Governor Haley Barbour (R) Official languages English Area 125,546 km² (32nd)  - Land 121,606 km²  - Water 3,940 km² (3%) Population (2000)  - Population 2,697,243 (31st)  - Density 23. ... State nickname: Camellia State, The Heart of Dixie¹, Yellowhammer State Other U.S. States Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Governor Bob Riley (R) Official languages English Area 84,360 mi²/135,765 km² (30th)  - Land 81,664 mi²/131,426 km²  - Water 2,696 mi²/4,338 km² (3. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Painting by Benjamin West depicting John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. ... The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen North American colonies. ... Pinckneys Treaty, also known as the Treaty of San Lorenzo or the Treaty of Madrid, was signed in San Lorenzo de El Escorial on October 27, 1795 and established intentions of friendship between the United States and Spain. ...

In the secret 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 administered that portion as the province of West Florida and that it was not part of the territory returned to France in 1800. The Treaty of San Ildefonso (formally titled the Preliminary and Secret Treaty between the French Republic and His Catholic Majesty the King of Spain, Concerning the Aggrandizement of His Royal Highness the Infant Duke of Parma in Italy and the Retrocession of Louisiana) was a secretly negotiated treaty between France... From Frank Bond, Louisiana and the Louisiana Purchase. ... The Perdido River is a river in the U.S. states of Alabama and Florida, approximately 60 mi (97 km) long. ...

A short-lived Republic

The Bonnie Blue Flag

East and West Florida in 1810.

The United States and Spain held long, inconclusive negotiations on the status of West Florida. In the meantime, U.S. 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 of the Free and Independent Republic of West Florida. On September 23, after meetings beginning in June, rebels overcame the Spanish garrison at Baton Rouge, and unfurled the flag of the new republic: a single white star on a blue field. This flag would later become known as the "Bonnie Blue Flag". Bonnie Blue Flag of West Florida, the Republic of Texas, and the Confederate States of America. ... Bonnie Blue Flag of West Florida, the Republic of Texas, and the Confederate States of America. ... The following are the flags used by the short-lived Confederate States of America. ... A rebellion is, in the most general sense, a refusal to accept authority. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... Capitol Building Baton Rouge (pronounced in English, and in French) is the capital of Louisiana, a state of the United States of America. ... The following are the flags used by the short-lived Confederate States of America. ...

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 of course the Gulf of Mexico. It included the lower portions of what is now Alabama and Mississippi and the Louisiana parishes of East Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and Washington. The capital of the Republic of West Florida was St. Francisville. The Perdido River is a river in the U.S. states of Alabama and Florida, approximately 60 mi (97 km) long. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint Louis¹: 5,500 m³/s Vicksburg²: 16,800 m³/s Baton Rouge³: 12,800 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin  Lake Itasca Mouth  Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... Lake Pontchartrain is the second largest salt-water lake in the United States, and the largest lake in southeastern Louisiana. ... The Gulf of Mexico is a major body of water bordered and nearly landlocked by North America. ... List of Louisiana parishes The state of Louisiana is divided into parishes in the same way that the other states of the United States are divided into counties. ... St. ...

The Constitution of West Florida was based largely on the U.S. 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". Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme...

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 with the United States: Fulwar Skipwith was a member of the first West Florida high judiciary, involved in the West Florida Rebellion. ... From Frank Bond, Louisiana and the Louisiana Purchase. ...

"...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 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 from the Spanish, but the expedition ended in failure. The marching song of the West Floridian army included the lyrics: George Washington, (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) is one of the most famous Americans (see Father of the Nation[1]). He was a gentleman farmer who became an American general and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) and later the first... Mobile and Mobile Bay from space, June 1991 Mobile (pronounced mo-BEEL) is a city located in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. ...

West Floriday, that lovely nation,

Free from king and tyranny,

Thru’ the world shall be respected,

For her true love of Liberty.

Annexation

The Republic of West Florida, today divided among three states.

On October 27 parts of West Florida were annexed by 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, perferring to negotate terms to join the Union. However, William Claiborne, who was sent to take possession of the territory, refused to recognize the legitamacy 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. Image File history File links Map showing the territory of the short lived Republic of West Florida. ... Image File history File links Map showing the territory of the short lived Republic of West Florida. ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... A proclamation (Lat. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836) was the fourth (1809–1817) President of the United States. ... William Charles Cole Claiborne (1775 - 23 November 1817) was a United States politican, best known as the first U.S. governor of Louisiana. ...

Possession was taken of St. Francisville on December 6, 1810, and of 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. December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Capitol Building Baton Rouge (pronounced in English, and in French) is the capital of Louisiana, a state of the United States of America. ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Orleans Territory was a historic, organized territory of the United States formed out of the first subdivision of the Louisiana Purchase. ... The Mobile District was an administrative region of the Spanish territory of West Florida. ... all about mississippi! Mississippi state bird is a mocking bird mississippi state tree is mangoila tree ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819 (formally titled the Treaty of Amity, Settlement, and Limits Between the United States of America and His Catholic Majesty, and also known as the Transcontinental Treaty of 1819, and sometimes the Florida Treaty) was a historic agreement between the United States and Spain... 1819 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Florida Territory was a historic organized territory of the United States from 1822 to 1845. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (90th in Leap years). ... 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

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. In 1993, the Florida state legislature renamed Interstate 12 through the Florida Parishes as the "Republic of West Florida Parkway." The Florida Parishes are those parishes in Louisiana which were part of West Florida in the early 19th century. ... Jackson is a town located in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... The Florida Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. ... Interstate 12 is an intrastate interstate highway located entirely within the state of Louisiana, United States. ...

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. 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Stanley Clisby Arthur, The Story of the West Florida Rebellion, St. Francisville Democrat, 1935, paperback, 164 pages (Several copies are available on ABE); Pioneer Publishing, paperback reprint, ISBN 1885480474 (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.

Abebooks (ABE) is an international internet based listing service for booksellers based in Victoria, British Columbia. ...

See also

• History of Florida
• East Florida
• French colonization of the Americas
• British colonization of the Americas
• Spanish colonization of the Americas

The history of Florida began at least 12,000 years ago, long before it became a U.S. state. ... East Florida was originally a part of the Spanish colony of Florida. ... North America The French established colonies across the New World in the 17th century. ... British colonization of the Americas began in the late 16th century. ... Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in America of Christopher Columbus in 1492. ...

External links

• The U.S. Takeover of West Florida
• West Florida by Ann Gilbert