Florida Seminole Tribe

The arrival of various Creek and other Muscogee people to Florida in the mid-1700s signaled the genesis of what would eventually be recognized as the Seminole tribe of Florida. These Indians settled in parts of Florida where the original, albeit much less in numbers, inhabitants of Florida still resided. Many of the Florida Indians by the time of the British arrival were trading for decades with the Spanish and its colonies to the immediate south. The Creek nation was a loose confederation of disparate tribes, and some Creeks who did not share the nation’s policy of trade with the British colonies migrated to Florida. But despite the geographical separation into Spanish territory, many still identified themselves as Creek. There were no Seminoles …show more content…
With the acquisition of Florida, the British then surrounded the Creeks from all corners. They knew trading and negotiating treaties with one nation would simplify dealing with many disparate tribes. Shortly thereafter, the American colonies north of Florida were starting to reject British monarchy rule, and the British wanted to negotiate with the Florida Indians as a homogeneous group that would stay loyal to the …show more content…
The British started referring to the Creeks west of Saint Augustine, in the Alachua plains, as the Seminoles. But despite referencing these “East Florida Creeks” as Seminoles, there were many Indians around Saint Augustine that continued to trade with the Spanish, many having knowledge of the Spanish language and evidence of trade with Cuba and other Spanish colonies. But the special referencing by the British to the tribe (as a handful of Indian towns) immediately west of St. Augustine for trade and defensive purposes did not necessarily imply they operated fully independent of Creek influence. but was definitely the beginnings of a yet to be created national identity for all Florida