Andrew Jacksons Invasion of Florida Research Paper

Andrew Jacksons Invasion of Florida - Research Paper Example He was selected the major general in 1812 in the volunteer corps. In October 1813, after the uprising of Creek Indians, Andrew Jackson led a troop of two thousand five hundred Tennessee forces who fought against the Creek Indians. During the invasion, they were able to triumph over one thousand Indian warriors. In the same year and month, Andrew Jackson invaded Florida and managed to capture Pensacola. He also managed to conquer the west and north of New Orleans where he took the city’s defense. After signing of the Ghent treaty in January 8, 1815, Andrew Jackson and his troops won over the British regulators who had invaded New Orleans making Andrew Jackson a hero. In 1817, President Monroe directed Jackson to make efforts and stop the attacking of Georgia settlers by Seminole Indians. Nevertheless, he was ordered not to invade Florida. He was only allowed to do that if he were in pursuit of the enemy (Seminoles). On the contrary, Jackson disobeyed the order and invaded Flori da. The purpose of the paper is to analyze Andrew Jackson’s invasion of Florida. Andrew Jackson’s Invasion of Florida During early 19th century, the United States of America grew rapidly and covered the lower south part of the continent. This was known to be the home of Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee, Seminole and Chicasaw nations. The white Americans viewed these Indian nations as obstacle in the progress of the country. Determined to acquire land and grow cotton, the federal government was pressured by the white settlers to acquire the territory of the Indian. From Tennessee, Andrew Jackson proposed the removal of Indians. In 1814, the USA military forces were commanded by Andrew Jackson and were able to defeat a section of the Creek nation. As a result of the group defeat, the federal government was able to acquire land in central Alabama and southern Georgia. In 1818, the United States was able to acquire more land, engineered by the motive to discipline the Seminoles for accommodating the fugitive slaves. As a result, Spanish Florida was invaded by Jackson’s troops. Jackson was influential in the negotiation of the nine treaties out of the available eleven between 1814 and 1824. The treaties were significant in negotiating between the eastern tribes and the government. The tribe was required to exchange its eastern lands with those in the west. The tribes agreed but under some conditions. For instance, they aimed at shielding themselves from the harassment of the white settlers and also appeasing the government with the hopes of retaining part of their land. The United States of America was able to acquire and gain control over three quarters of the land in Florida and Alabama as a result of the treaties. In addition to that, they controlled land in Tennessee, North Carolina, Mississippi and Georgia. This was a time that a few Creeks, Choctaws and Cherokees decided to migrate voluntarily to their new land2. According to Andrew Jackson, the United States of America needed Florida for their economic prosperity. The United States of America was unbalanced due to Indian a nd Spanish occupation of Florida. As he (Andrew Jackson) further observed, the United States of America economy relied on Florida and other nearby states. Jackson blamed the Spaniards and Indians in Florida for channeling resources to their mother country. Huge portions of land were occupied and owned by Spaniards and Indians there. The Americans residing in Florida served as informal workers in the Indian and Spanish farms. Due to his nationalistic characteristic, Jackson had to use power to eliminate the Indians and Spaniards from