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[[File:Map-of-East-and-West-Florida.jpg|thumb|left|Figure 1. Florida was divided into two administrative regions before it became united as one territory and state.]]__NOTOC__
Florida was perhaps the first place in what is now the United States to have been reached by European settlers in 1513. The state was named for its verdant landscape by Spanish explorers. Over the next few centuries, Florida was mostly controlled by the Spanish Empire, although British control occurred between 1763-1783. In the early 19th century, Florida was controlled by the Spanish again but became a region the United States saw as problematic as it became a refuge for runaway black slaves, and native Seminoles began to raid parts of the United States from the area. Soon this led to clashes and the beginning of how Florida became incorporated into the United States.
The continued practice of slaves finding refuge in Florida served as one motivation for the First Seminole War. The second problem were the raids by Seminoles, although farmers and militia from southern states also raided Florida. The First Seminole War was effectively cross-border raids and an invasion led by Andrew Jackson between 1816-1819, with the conflict having no clear date when it actually began. The United States had wanted to acquire Florida during the time of the War of 1812. In fact, a detachment of soldiers had occupied St. Augustine, causing tensions with Spain. Black Seminoles had fought US soldiers and militia who had invaded, fearing they would take away their relatively greater freedom in Florida.
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 were in conflict with the United States, and soldiers started the war that led Florida's to the invasion of Florida inlorida by Andrew Jackson. Jackson led a series of raids in 1818 against native civilians and various tribes and their warriors. The militia and military unit Jackson led did not discriminate who they attacked and in May 1818 his forces took Pensacola, what was the capital of West Florida.
Eventually Jackson withdrew after he was condemned within the United States and abroad, including Spain which did not participate in the war, although 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 the actions by Jackson caused Spain to stop negotiations. The conflict also left a stain on Jackson's reputation for having executed two British citizens without 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>
