Spain, Britain and the American Revolution in Florida, 1763-1783

Book excerpt: As a result of the 1763 Treaty of Paris, Spain relinquished Florida, a land it had possessed for over 200 years, to the British. With revolution imminent, Britain set about populating its two new colonies of East and West Florida with loyal British Tories, ultimately turning St. Augustine into a southern American headquarters for British interests. This volume details the British occupation of colonial Florida immediately before and during the American Revolution with emphasis on the effect this possession had on the course of the war. Beginning with a brief summary of Spanish history, it takes a look at the relative colonial positions of Spain and Britain with regard to the Americas during the pre-revolutionary period. The Georgia-Florida border dispute, the invasion of East Florida and the eventual return of the Spaniards are also discussed. Finally, an appendix details St. Augustine buildings from the revolutionary period which are still standing today.