WEST FLORIDA, that part of the English possessions in Florida in 1763 west of the Apalachicola River, bounded on the west by Lake Pontchartrain, the Mississippi and Lake Maurepas and on the north by the 31st paralkl of latitude. In 1763 it was made into a sepa rate administration district. The governor had the power of convening general assemblies. Laws were made by the governor with the approval of an advisory council and the gen eral assembly. During the Revolutionary War Wegt Florida sided with the British Crown: 1714() it was attacked by the Spaniards and by 1782 the British were driven out. By the Treaty of 1783, in which England acknowl the independence of the United States. Spain was permitted to retain Florida hut a secret clause of the treaty made the southern boundary of the United States the 31st parallel instead of the line 32' 28' as had been fixed in February 1764. Spain refused to evacuate the portion between the two lines and a bitter dispute followed with the United States which nearly resulted in hostilities. Filially Pinck ney succeeded in negotiating a treaty by the terms of which the 31st parallel was acknowl edged as the boundary of West Florida. while the United States assumed all claims against Spam by citizens of Georgia for spoliation, etc. A new disagreement with Spain developed in 1883 when the United States claimed that part of West Florida west of the Perdido River as rt ot the Loinctatei Territory which it had -t purchased from France. The dispute
•ureed on until in 1810 the part of West ida between the Perdido and the Minis 1.. declared its independence of Spain and ,me the Republic of \\ est Florida. This -broom State was seized by the United States law and order were restored to the dis .cted region. The part west of Pearl River part of the Territory of Orleans. In est Florida was added to Louisiana and between the Perdido and Pearl riv was annexed to the Territory of With in. In 1812 English troops had their base the Floridas in their operations against the :cc! States. .Jackson drove them out in ,4 and took Pensacola. During Ihe Semi tx.,:e \Var, Jackson again occupied a part of West Florida. The province was administered by United States officials appointed by Jack son until 1819 when it was returned to Spain. In 1819-21 negotiations for the purchase of Florida were undertaken by the government of the United States. On 17 July 1321 Spain ceded all her claims to the United States and 1822 portion of West Florida cast of the Perdido was incorporated in the Territory of Florida. Consult Fairbanks, G. R, 'His tory of Florida' (1871) ; Fuller, H B., 'Pun of Florida' (1906); Green, F L, i Horida. t 18qS).