THE FREE PEOPLES
When the Spaniards departed they left behind cattel and horses, which the Seminoles put to good use. Thousands of range animals roamed the central grasslands. The runaway slaves taught them how to farm land and yield bounty from mother earth. These were prosperous times for the Seminole. As settlers encroached they learned how to hunt with rifles.
LIVING WITH THE LAND
As the now free slaves, lived with the free people they taught each other their skills. Eventualy the African Americans integrated with the Seminoles, through marraige, became part of their tribal councils and shared their crops.
Soon this was to change as the America coveted land and wanted to put an end to the haven for runaway slaves.
WAR AND FORT JUPITER
In an effort to gain authority the US sent their army to houseclean the area of 'Indians'. During the two Seminole wars that followed the army build a crude stockade at todays Pennock Point, calling it Fort Jupiter.
The Seminoles fought hard to retain their freedom, aided by the brilliance of Osceola and the medicine man Abiaka.
BILLY BOWLEGS
A fourteen year peace followed the war. But then, in 1855 Americans attempted to rob Billy Bowlegs, a Seminole chief, of his land. This sparked a third war, and to assist them the US army built a new Fort Jupiter on a sandbar. Malaria forced the garrison off, and realising that the Seminoles could not be defeated signed a peace treaty with Billy Bowlegs.
SEMINOLES TODAY
Billy Bowlegs and 3,000 other Seminoles were forced out to live in the Wild West. Only 300 remained, hiding in the everglades.
Today there are once again 3,000 members of the Seminole tribe, living in five reservations across Florida, contributing towards the lives and economy of the state. To learn more about the Seminole tribe click here.