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== When did the United States acquire Florida? ==
[[File:DadeMassacre.jpg|thumb|left|Figure 2. The Dade Massacre showed Seminole tactics using guerilla warfare were effective and eventually led to the United States changing its war strategy.]]
Florida was eventually [[How did the United States acquire Florida?| purchased by the United States in 1819]] and became a territory in 1821. Jackson, despite the earlier condemnation of his actions, was appointed military governor of Florida. The Seminole tribes continued to be a problem, at least seen by the now emigrating white settlers, in that there was no treaty governing where Seminoles and white settlers could settle. The Treaty of Moultrie Creek was supposed to give central Florida an area for Seminole tribes to settle. Still, tribes were generally unhappy as the United States effectively controlled goods, trade, and provisions needed to settle there. Runaway slaves continued to come to native lands, and relations between Seminoles and the US government became worse.
Many Seminoles refused relocation, and skirmishes broke out between settlers, soldiers, and Seminoles. The conflict that became the Second Seminole War started in 1835-1842 and became very costly. Seminoles fought against the United States and now also their Creek allies. The Dade Massacre and other guerilla attacks by the Seminoles proved effective in the early stages of the war, and the massacre effectively escalated the conflict (Figure 2).