AH query - why no Spanish colonization in south or central Florida?

That is true, however, if a large river valley flowed into the sea that could be easily navigated, the hardships would be surely endured.
That explains New Orleans in Louisiana but Florida is pretty flat no hills and no valleys. There wasn't anything worth going through the trouble in southern Florida. Plus the natives knew the area and were incredibly hard to dislodge, that's why Seminoles are the only Native American Tribe never to sign a peace treaty.
 
That explains New Orleans in Louisiana but Florida is pretty flat no hills and no valleys. There wasn't anything worth going through the trouble in southern Florida. Plus the natives knew the area and were incredibly hard to dislodge, that's why Seminoles are the only Native American Tribe never to sign a peace treaty.

Well this is a question of the hen and the egg. If there was such a river as the Mississippi flowing through Southern Florida, the landscape would be constantly altered by floods as was Louisiana. Creating conditions more applicable for economic exploitation.

Though I, by no means, am an expert on these scientific questions.
 
That explains New Orleans in Louisiana but Florida is pretty flat no hills and no valleys. There wasn't anything worth going through the trouble in southern Florida. Plus the natives knew the area and were incredibly hard to dislodge, that's why Seminoles are the only Native American Tribe never to sign a peace treaty.

The Seminoles only came later, and are a demonstration that yes, you could settle there if you had proper motivation.
 
@PuffyClouds how would Seminole/Florida society have evolved given a continuing Spanish Florida? Clearly there'd be no incentive for ATL Seminole Wars...

The societal hatred and greed had become pathological. The Seminoles would have to return runaway slaves to the United States, and stop raiding Georgia. No weapons can be sold from Florida to the tribes in America, and no tribal warrior could be given refuge into Florida. The Spanish would have to give up claim on all Florida west of the Chattahoochee River.

The Americans in the south are still going to raid and squat into the remainder of East Florida. IMO the early filibusterers (try to say that word and not laugh) are going to invade, pick a fight with the Seminoles and Spanish, rob, destroy, kill, and then act like they were the aggrieved party. The southerners might even fabricate the matter entirely. If there is any American interest in another piece of Spanish property the southerners will use the excuse to invade and destroy the Seminoles.

If Spain cut a deal, then put the stick about, and if the Seminoles swore off the American mainland, things can get interesting. From what I know (and this could be outdated or wrong, I'm not an expert) the Seminoles had individualist (farmsteads) and also manorial style communities (county size with a few villages). A chief's manorial settlement will attract more commerce from British and Spanish merchants, but the individuals free from the chief will have more opportunity to grow and prosper.

There were also Spanish land grants in the interior, the Spanish will want to settle some of them and lease out other portions to the Seminoles. The Spanish will eventually want the Seminoles to pay taxes so enforcing that will be a problem. When the other Spanish colonies begin to revolt then the Spanish will look to develop the commercial opportunities in Florida.
 
The societal hatred and greed had become pathological. The Seminoles would have to return runaway slaves to the United States, and stop raiding Georgia. No weapons can be sold from Florida to the tribes in America, and no tribal warrior could be given refuge into Florida. The Spanish would have to give up claim on all Florida west of the Chattahoochee River.

The Americans in the south are still going to raid and squat into the remainder of East Florida. IMO the early filibusterers (try to say that word and not laugh) are going to invade, pick a fight with the Seminoles and Spanish, rob, destroy, kill, and then act like they were the aggrieved party. The southerners might even fabricate the matter entirely. If there is any American interest in another piece of Spanish property the southerners will use the excuse to invade and destroy the Seminoles.

If Spain cut a deal, then put the stick about, and if the Seminoles swore off the American mainland, things can get interesting. From what I know (and this could be outdated or wrong, I'm not an expert) the Seminoles had individualist (farmsteads) and also manorial style communities (county size with a few villages). A chief's manorial settlement will attract more commerce from British and Spanish merchants, but the individuals free from the chief will have more opportunity to grow and prosper.

There were also Spanish land grants in the interior, the Spanish will want to settle some of them and lease out other portions to the Seminoles. The Spanish will eventually want the Seminoles to pay taxes so enforcing that will be a problem. When the other Spanish colonies begin to revolt then the Spanish will look to develop the commercial opportunities in Florida.

In the TL I'm slowly developing, the US will probably be too scared to go to war with Spain regardless of provocations by the Seminoles-the reason why isn't important. This makes the question of runaway slaves and natives more interesting...
 
In the TL I'm slowly developing, the US will probably be too scared to go to war with Spain regardless of provocations by the Seminoles-the reason why isn't important. This makes the question of runaway slaves and natives more interesting...
Just remember that America walked into the War of 1812 thinking it would work out well.
 

Infinity

Banned
There was a Spanish colony in Florida which was motivated by the search for El Dorado and the fountain of eternal youth. The inhabitants weren't very productive. The colony was not self sufficient. While nearly starving to death, only food brought from mainland Spain saved them.
 
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