Exploring the Early Americas

The Jay I. Kislak Collection

{ object_type: 'Unknown',embed_type: 'image',embed_detail: 'http://www.myloc.gov',embed_alt: 'Spanish Florida',thumbnail: {url: 'http://www.myloc.gov',alt: 'Spanish Florida',height: '66',width: '125'} }

Spanish Florida

Spaniards Enslaved by Indians Spaniards Enslaved by Indians

La Florida included the vast territory claimed by Spain on the basis of the explorations by Juan Ponce de León (1460–1521) in 1513 and 1521. Encompassing lands from the Gulf Coast of Texas to the Chesapeake Bay, Spanish Florida existed from 1565 to 1763, when Florida (by then reduced in size to today’s Florida and parts of Alabama and Georgia) came under British control. Spain regained possession of Florida from 1784 until 1821 when the territory became part of the United States.

View all items from Spanish Florida »