United States History Student Edition

out the soil with years of heavy use. In Florida, they established cotton and tobacco plantations, especially in northern Florida and the narrow strip in the northwest called the Panhandle. In addition to the plantations and small farms, herds of cattle led by Florida Crackers and pioneers dotted the region of central Florida. The leading planters of northern Florida played a major role in the government and politics of the area. In 1837, the census for the territory of Florida reported that 48,000 people lived there. Enslaved people made up about one-half of Florida’s population. Free white men over 21 years of age voted to apply for statehood and approved a constitution. Florida’s first constitution, approved in 1839, provided for a governor elected for four years and an elected legislature, called the General Assembly. The constitution also allowed slavery and called for a system of public schools. Congress delayed action on Florida statehood. It wanted to preserve a one-to-one balance between slave states and free states by admitting states in pairs. After six years, Iowa finally emerged as a free-state candidate. With the question of slavery removed, President John Tyler signed the Florida statehood bill. Florida became the 27th state in the United States on March 3, 1845. The next year, Iowa joined the Union as a free state. 7 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING Identifying Cause and Effect What caused the population of Florida to grow? LESSON ACTIVITIES 1. Argumentative Writing It is the year 1840 and you are trying to encourage American settlement in Florida. Write an advertisement that might attract settlers to this land. 2. Presenting Working with a partner, produce

The now combined East and West Florida was officially transferred to the United States on July 17, 1821. Tallahassee was made the territorial capital in 1824. The capital was located about midway between St. Augustine and Pensacola, Florida’s major cities at that time. Not counting Native Americans, fewer than 8,000 people lived in the territory, including enslaved people. Later, as news of the area’s fertile land spread, thousands of new white settlers streamed into Florida. Many planters and enslavers left their old plantations in Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas, where they had worn Jacob Summerlin (1820-1893) made his fortune in the cattle business and is one of the most notable Florida Crackers. At one point, he owned 10% of all the cows in Florida.

a multimedia presentation explaining the reasons for American expansion into the Oregon Country. Research and include images, paintings, popular songs, and folktales in your presentation.

Jacob Summerlin - Bartow, Florida. 1870 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.

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