Annexation and Statehood. The district be ing both profitless and untenable to Spain, she ceded it to the United States by treaty of 22 Feb. 1819, in exchange for government as sumption of $5,000,000 claims of American citi zens against Spain. The treaty was ratified in 1821, and in March 1822 it was admitted as a Territory of the United States and the mili tary authority was superseded by the civil. The two sections, East and West Florida, both from geographical and political reasons, had no sym pathy with each other, and repeatedly peti tioned Congress for separation, without avail. Especially West Florida, as late as 1869. voted for annexation to Alabama, which offered Florida $1,000,000 for it; but no further steps were taken. Self-government was very lim ited at first. The government consisted of a governor appointed by the President and a council of 13, appointed annually. After 1826 members of the council were elected by the peo ple, and after 1834 there were 26 members in the council. A stable government and the im migration of white settlers from the Southern States ushered in a period of prosperity which was handicapped by frequent forays of the Indians. From 1835 to 1842 the Seminole War was waged and at its close all but a few hun dred of the Seminoles were placed on reserva tions in Indian Territory. On 11 Jan. 1839 a convention passed a constitution for the State of Florida, but it was not admitted to the Union till 3 March 1845, paired with Iowa, as a slave State with a free State. The constitu tion, forbidding emancipation of slaves by the legislature, roused a violent debate in Congress over admission.
Civil War and Reconstruction. On 10 Jan. 1861 Florida passed an ordinance of secession by a vote of 62 to 7; on 21 January her sena tors withdrew from Congress; on 4 February her delegates took their seats in the Confederate Congress, and on the 17th she became a mem ber of the Confederacy. The government posts in the State nearly all fell into Confederate hands; but Fort Pickens, off Pensacola, and the forts at Key West and the Tortugas were re tained and formed a nucleus for recapture. Most of the coast towns were captured by the Federals during the first two years of war. But the State remained in the Confederacy. After 1863, however, the Union forces were employed in other quarters; and by the battle of Olustee, 20 Feb. 1864, the State was ac knowledged lost to the Union till the close of the war. On 20 May 1865 all slaves in the State were freed. On 13 July 1865 a pro visional government was formed; on 25 Octo ber a State convention met, which on the 28th annulled the ordinance of secession. A new constitution was adopted without slavery and a legislature organized in 1866; but on 2 March 1867 it was brought under the Reconstruction Act, and became a part of the Third Military District. A constitution was ratified by popu lar election in May 1868, the legislature met the 8th June following and ratified the 13th and 14th Amendments to the Federal Constitution, and on 25 June 1868 Florida was reorganized as a State. On 4 July the government was transferred to the civil authorities and the new State officials assumed office. The extrava gances of the Reconstruction government brought about a great increase in the State's indebtedness and taxes were burdensome for many years. Only in 1873 did the yearly reve nue of the State equal the current expenses of government and the interest on the State debt.
Modern Development. The 70's were marked by bitter political contests, power grad ually passing back to Democratic hands. In 1876 the State's electoral vote was disputed, but the vote was at length given to Hayes, after a visit of a commission to Florida. The late 80's witnessed the discovery of the great deposits of phosphate rock and economic con ditions began to improve rapidly. This decade and the 90's saw railroads extended through out the State, and the east coast became a popular winter resort.
Railroad development was in great part due to the foresight of Henry M. Flagler, who saw the latent wealth of the State and its possibili ties as a fruit-growing centre as well as a health and pleasure resort. The investments of
Northern capital in industries and railroads, the Federal work on harbors, rivers, etc., have made Florida a strong and thriving State. In State elections the Democratic majority is well over 30,000. Except in a Presidential year, it is not usual for the Republican party to nominate a full State and congressional ticket. Since 1910 Florida sends four representatives to the lower house of Congress.
Bibliography. General: Aflalo, F. G., 'Sunshine and Sport in Florida and the West Indies' (New York 1907) ; 'Climate, Soil and Resources of Florida' (United States Depart ment of Agriculture, Washington 1882) ; Cock erell, T. D. A.,
Indian Fauna in Florida' (in Nature, Vol. XLVI)
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and Fishing in Florida'Flocla' (Boston 1896) ; Dimock, A. W. and J. A., 'Florida Enchantments' (New York 1909) ; (Florida : A Pamphlet Descriptive of its History, Topog raphy, Climate, Soil, etc.' (Florida Department of Agriculture, Tallahassee 1904) ; Gifford, (Everglades and other Essays Relating to Southern Florida' (Kansas City 1911) ; Mac Gonigle, J. N.,
of Florida' (in National Geographic Mazagine, Vol. VII) ; Matson and Sanford, (Geology and Ground Waters of Florida' (in United States Geo graphical Survey, 'Water Supply Paper 319,' Washington 1914) ; Millspaugh, C. F., 'Flora of the Sand Keys of Florida' (Chicago 1907) ; Norton, C. L., 'Handbook of Florida' (2d ed., New York 1892) ; Packard, W., (Florida Trails' (Boston 1910);
Report on the Soils of Florida' (Bulletin 13, United States Department of Agriculture, Division of Soils, Washington 1898) ; Pourtales, L. F., 'Flora and Fauna of the Florida Keys' (in The American Naturalist, Vol. XI) ; Rhodes and Dumont, (Guide to Florida' (New York 1912) ; 'Reports of the Thirteenth Census of the United States' (Washington 1910 et seq.) ; Smith, E. A., (Agricultural Features of Florida' (Vol. VI of Reports of the Tenth Census, Washington 1884) Winter, Nevin 0.,
The Land of Enchantment' (Boston 1918). Government, Education, etc.: Brevard and Bennett, 'Gov ernment of Florida' ; Bush, 'History of Edu cation in Florida' (United States Bureau of Education, Circular No. 7, Washington 1888) ; 'Revised Statutes of Florida' (1892);
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and State Constitutions' (1909) Yocum, Wilbur F., 'Civil Government of Florida' (De Land, Fla., 1904). History: Bab cock, K. C., 'The Rise of American Nationality' (1906) ; Brinton, D. G., (Notes on the Floridian Peninsula, its Literary History, Indian Tribes, and Antiquities' (Philadelphia 1859), with bibliography; Campbell, R. L., 'Historical Sketches of Colonial Florida' (Cleveland 1892) ; Carpenter, E. J. (The American Ad vance> (1903) ; Chadwick, F. E., 'The United States and Spain' (1909) ; Chambers, H. E., 'West Florida and its Relation to the Historical Cartography of the United States' (Johns Hop kins Studies in Historical and Political Science, Series 16, No. 5); Davis, W. W., 'The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida' (New York and London 1913) ; Fairbanks, G. R.,
of Florida' (Philadelphia 1871), the standard history of the State; Foster, J. W.,
Cen tury of American Diplomacy' (1906) ; French, Benjamin F. 'Historical Collections of Louis iana' (New York 1846-75) Fuller, H. B., 'The Purchase of Florida' (1406); Garcia, 'Dos antiguas Relaciones de la Florida' (Mexico, D. F. 1902) ; Green, E. L., 'History of Florida' (1898) ; LaMer Sidney, (Florida: Its Scenery, Climate, and History' (Philadelphia 1875) ; Long, Ellen Call,
Breezes); Lowery, Woodbury, 'The Spanish Settlements within the Present Limits of the United States' (New York, Vol. I, 1901; Vol. II, sub-title 'Florida' ib., 1905) ; Moore, (Certain Aboriginal Remains' (Philadelphia 1901-05) ; Moore, J. B.,
national Arbitrations) (1898) ; id.,
of International Law) (1906); Morse, J. T., (John Quincy Adams' (1897); Smith, Buckingham,