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==What was the First Seminole War? ==
In 1763, during British rule in Florida, the region that became the state was divided into two administrative areas, East and West Florida (Figure 1). The Apalachicola River was used as a dividing line, and the region was seen as too large to be administered by one local government. In the early 1800s, Florida became a refuge for runaway slaves. Florida had no slavery policy, and slaves saw Florida as a good refuge. Between 1783–1821, Spain regained Florida. Still, it was unable to have very effective control given the region was of little consequence to Spain, and limited resources were available, making the region a de facto self-administered region. This upset the United States because Spain could not control the Seminoles and return runaway slaves. Over time, as more slaves ran away to Florida, the Black Seminoles developed into another cultural group.
While some Seminoles did keep slaves, Black Seminoles and other slaves were generally free to live where they wanted even if they were technically slaves, with the Black Seminoles often living in separate villages from Seminole settlements. In fact, since the 17th century, black slaves were running away to Florida to escape plantations, and over time many black slaves intermarried with Seminoles and other native groups. This process only accelerated as the United States retained slavery in its southern states.<ref>For more on the Black Seminoles and early history of Florida, see: Porter, Kenneth Wiggins, Alcione M. Amos, Thomas P. Senter, and Rosalyn Howard. <i>The Black Seminoles: History of a Freedom-Seeking People</i>. Rev. ed. Gainesville: Univ. Press of Florida, 2013.</ref>
A fort was created in northern Florida to help defend the territory and the so-called Scott Massacre of civilians, committed by native Creeks who conflicted with the United States. Soldiers started the war that Florida's to Florida by Andrew Jackson. Jackson led a series of raids in 1818 against native civilians and various tribes and their warriors. Jackson led the militia and military unit did not discriminate against who they attacked, and in May 1818, his forces took Pensacola, which was the capital of West Florida.
Eventually, Jackson withdrew after being condemned within the United States and abroad, including Spain, which did not participate in the war. However, a brief canon exchange occurred between US and Spanish forces, but the war took place mainly on Spanish territory. During the time of the conflict, the US had been in negotiations to acquire Florida from Spain as its own territory, and for a while, Jackson's actions caused Spain to stop negotiations. The conflict also left a stain on Jackson's reputation for having executed two British citizens without an adequate trial.<ref>For more on the period up to the First Seminole War in Florida's history, see Wasserman, Adam. <i>A People’s History of Florida, 1513-1876: How Africans, Seminoles, Women, and Lower Class Whites Shaped the Sunshine State</i>. Sarasota, Fla.: A. Wasserman, 2010.</ref>
==Florida Territory==
